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A 

HISTORY OF NEW YORK, 



SCHOOLS 



BY WILLIAM DUNLAP 



IN TWO VOLUMES. 
VOL. I. 



new york: 
COLLINS, KEESE, & CO. 

230 Pearl street. 

1837. 



Entered, 

According to Act of Congress, in the year 1837, by 

WILLIAM DUNLAP, 

In the Clerk's Offico of the District Court of the Southern District of 

New York. 



NEW YORK : 
STEREOTYPED BY F. F. RIPLEY. 



F\\«\ 

J33 



PREFACE. 



A few words respecting the origin of our 
present population, and the motives which in- 
duced the first emigrants to seek a home in a 
new world, may not be amiss as a preface to a 
history of New York. 

The Puritans, or Pilgrims, who abandoned 
all that men usually hold dear, and sought a 
resting place in the wilderness u for conscience' 
sake" were people of property and education ; 
and although there were among them men of 
high attainments and heroick character, equal- 
ity was the distinguishing feature of the colo- 
ny. They were democratick republicans. 
None were distinguished as the rich, or despi- 
sed as the poor — none were ignorant — none 
were immoral. Such were the settlers from 
whom a great portion of the present inhabit- 
ants of this State have sprung. 



4 PREFACE. 

The original emigrants to New Amsterdam 
were such as may be the boast of their descend- 
ants ; and the second race that flowed in upon 
and mixed with them, were at least their 
equals. In 1609 Henry Hudson saw the 
Highlands of Navesink. In 1614, Adrian 
Block and Hendrick Christianse landed the first 
Dutch colonists on this shore. In 1620, the 
Mayflower arrived at Plymouth Rock. Of 
those who arrived in her, a poet has said, 

Amidst the storm they sang : 
And the stars heard, and the sea ! 
And the sounding aisles of the dim woods rang 
To the anthem of the free ! 

Yes ! " amidst the storm they sang" the 
praises of their Creator — Amidst the howlings 
of the wilderness and the yells of the savage, 
they forgot not that the only sure foundation 
for a republick is education. In ten years from 
the landing of the Pilgrims, they established 
the university of Cambridge. 

Thus we see, that however honourable 
the descendants of the Dutch colonists of 
New Amsterdam may, and ought, to esteem 



PREFACE. 5 

their origin, the progeny of the New England 
settlers, who now form so great a part of our 
city's population, may claim as high and pure 
a source. Neither must we forget another 
race, as pure, in the persecuted protestants of 
France, many of whom sought and found a 
resting place here, adding to the brightest in 
tellectual light of the country. 

It is not our part to forget, but to forgive. 
And while we remember the injuries inflicted 
and attempted by the government of Great 
Britain, let us bear in mind the many, many 
blessings, we owe to England and Englishmen. 
The first press that came to the Colonies was 
sent from England — the first printer that came 
hither was an Englishman ; — the sentiments 
of republicanism we now feel are from Eng- 
land ; — we owe to her literature, law, religion 
— not to her government, but to her poets, phi- 
losophers, statesmen, and divines. To enu- 
merate the good derived from England, would 
require pages ; but I must mention one that is 
beyond all price — language. Our language 
is that of Shakspeare and Milton ; — while 
those who are not familiarized to the idiom of 
1* 



6 PREFACE. 

these great men from infancy, are blind to their 
beauties, to us they are as " household words," 
ever in our mouths and in our hearts. 

If these little books should render the histo- 
ry of the State of New York more familiar to 
the generations who are to follow me, and 
whose duty it will be to support her honour 
and increase her prosperity, my end will be 
attained. 

THE AUTHOR. 



INTRODUCTION. 



Mr. Martwell had finished reading the last of a 
multitude of letters which he threw, as he hastily- 
glanced over them, on the breakfast table. " And 
now," said he, " to the counting-house and answer 
them." 

"Ever to the counting-house, nephew," said a ven- 
erable gray-haired man, who sat, book in hand and 
spectacles on nose, near the window. 

" Yes, uncle, I to the counting-house, you to the 
libraries. How goes on your collection of documents 
upon New York history V 

" I daily add some fact, or overthrow some error." 

" You know, sir, that brother Philip, before he went 
to Europe, instructed my boys in the history of their 
native state to a certain period : — I could wish you 
would amuse yourself by continuing the lessons." 

"Philip had a happy faculty of engaging their at- 
tention, and making instruction an amusement." 

" And have I not seen you sit with little Phil and 
Mary, one on each knee, their eyes and mouths staring 
and a-gape, while you recounted the adventures of 
Benjamin Broadaxe the carpenter, who turned sailor, 
and his courtship of Dolly Dumpling the cook's 
daughter ?" 

" Pooh ! pooh ! child's play ! But pray, sir, why do 
you not instruct your own children?" 

"Two reasons, uncle. Ignorance and want of 
time. I must attend to business." 

" And as I am out of date — a thing of past time, — I 
am only fitted to prepare children for the future. Be 
it so. I love your children, and would not have them 
grow to maturity as ignorant as their father ; there- 
fore, I will make some preparation, and undertake the 
task." 

"Preparation! Why you are as full of old stories 
as Mother Bunch." 



2 INTRODUCTION. 

" Thank you for the comparison. But the prepara- 
tion I mean, is a collection of pictures. I would im- 
press truth upon their minds through the eye, as well 
as ear. Go you to your counting-house. I will think 
of the scheme." 

Some days after this colloquy, the old man called 
his nephew's children around him, (no unusual thing,) 
telling them he had something to show them. 

"Here are two pictures. The good girl and the 
studious boy." 

" Why this is our Mary !" said Philip, (a boy scarce 
ten years of age.) 

" To be sure it is. Is she not a good girl ?" 

" Ah, now I know why Mary was shut up with 
you in your study, and you would not let me in. You 
were painting her picture !" 

" I am glad to find, my boy, that you can draw con- 
clusions from that which you know ; and that your 
deductions so truly point to by-gone circumstances 
or appearances, not understood previously. You will, 
in time, learn to conclude from your knowledge of 
the past and present, with some degree of certainty, 
what the future may produce." 

"I don't understand you, sir," said Philip. 

" You understand me, John ?" said the old gentle- 
man. 

" I think I do, sir. You mean that when Philip is 
older he will be able to guess, or to judge, of that 
which is to come, by the knowledge he has attained 
of former events ; and by the persons and things that 
shall then surround him." 

" That is my meaning," said Mr. Betterworth, (for 
such was the old man's name.) 

" For example," said William, (a boy of more fiery 
demeanour than his elder brother,) " we know how to 
gain a battle, by reading of the faults committed by 
a general who lost one ; or of the measures which in- 
sured a glorious victory to a successful hero." 

" I am glad to find that you are aware, at so early 
an age, of the uses that are to be made of historical 



INTRODUCTION. 3 

truth ; but I had much rather that the lesson taught 
should be how to make men live happily, than how 
to destroy them. I hope, William, that you will 
learn to see by the light of history that war originates 
in evil, and inflicts every species of misery ; and that 
there is more glory due to the peace maker, than to 
the conqueror of kingdoms and exterminator of ar- 
mies. Nay, boy, the teacher of a truth is of more 
worth than all the blood-stained heroes recorded from 
time immemorial." 

" But, uncle," said Philip, the youngest boy, " you 
show us a good girl and a studious boy. Is the boy 
good, as well as the girl ?" 

" I mean to say that he is, when I call him stu- 
dious." 

" Then both are good ; and yet the boy is barefoot 
and poor, and the girl is dressed like a rich man's 
daughter." 

" I mean a lesson in that. I would teach you that 
goodness may, and does, reside with the poor and with 
the rich. I would willingly reprove the rich person 
who concludes that vice must reside with poverty, 
and the needy man or woman who imagines that all 
who prosper are wicked. I would have the poor love 
the rich, and the rich love the poor ; as their Creator 
loves them all. Ah, here comes Mary, just from 
school, with the same hat and cloak and good-girl 
smile that I have given to the picture. To-morrow 
you must all come to my study ; I have something 
more to show you, and something more to say to 



RULERS OF NEW YORK, 



from 1625 to 1777. 



Rulers of New Netherland un- 
der the government of the 
States General of the United 
Netherlands, and the privi- 
leged West India Company, 
with the title of Directors 
General, 

Peter Minuit, 1625 

Wouter Van Twiller, 1633 

William Keift, 1638 

Peter Stuyvesant, 1647 



Rulers of New York under 
James Duke of York, with 
the title of Governor. 

Richard Nichols, 1664 

Francis Lovelace, 1667 

On the 30th of July, 1673, the 
Dutch retook New Netherland, 
and chose as Director or Gov- 
ernor 

Anthony Colve, 1673 

but at the peace of Breda the 
territory was ceded to England, 
and the Governors under the 
Duke of York were 
Sir Edmund Andros, 1674 

Thomas Dongan, 1683 

By the death of Charles and 
accession of James to the 
throne of England, New York 
became a king's government; 
and Dongan was Governor un- 
der the King until 1688, when 
the people threw off the gov- 
ernment of James for that of 
William III, and chose Jacob 
Leisler Commander in Chief of 
the province. 
Jacob Leisler, Sept. 16S9 



The titles of the subsequent 
rulers will be designated thus : 
P. C. President of the Council ; 
L. G. Lieutenant Governor; 
G. Governor. 

Jacob Leisler, L. G. Dec. 1689 
Henry Sloughter, G. 1691 

Richard lngoldsby, P. C. 1692 
Benjamin Fletcher, G. 1692 
Lord Bellamont, G. 1698 

John Nanfan, L. G. 1701 

Lord Cornbury, G. 1702 

Lord Lovelace, G. '1708 

Richard lngoldsby, L. G. 1709 
Gerardus Beckman, P. C. 1710 
Robert Hunter, G. 1710 

Peter Schuyler, P. C. 1719 

William Burnet, G. 1720 

James Montgomerie, G. 1728 
Rip Van Dam, P. C. 1731 

William Cosby, G. 1732 

George Clarke, L. G. 1736 

George Clinton, G. 1743 

Sir Danvers Osborne, G. 1753 
James De Lancev, L. G. 1753 
Sir Charles Hardy, G. 1755 
James De Lancev, L. G. 1757 
Cadwallader Colden, P.C. 1760 
" L.G. 1761 
Robert Monckton, G. 1762 
C. Colden, L. G. 1763 

Sir Henry Moore, G. 1765 

C. Colden, L. G. 1769 

Lord Dunmore, G. 1770 

William Try on, G. ' 1771 
C. Colden, L. G. 1771 

William Tryon, G. 1775 



First native American Gov- 
ernor, and Governor of the 
independent State of New 
York, 

George Clinton, 1777 



CONTENTS 

OP 

THE FIRST VOLUME, 



CHAPTER I. 

Henry Hudson seers the Navesink hills, p. 10— John Colman killed, p. 11 
— Rum and tobacco, p. 12 — Hudson's River, p. 13— Hudson betray- 
ed by Green, and turned adrift to perish in the Northern Ocean, p. 17. 

CHAPTER II. 

Arrival of Block and Christianse — Helle-gaat, p. 18 — Commencement 
of New York and Albany; first fort on Manhattan Island, p. 19 — 
Second Fort, p. 20 — Peter Minuit, p. 21 — Dutch houses, p. 22 — 
Wouter Van Tvviller, p. 23 — Governor Kieft, p. 24 — Huys van goede 
hope, p. 24— Peter Stuyvesant, p. 25— Surrender to the English, p. 25 
—Charles II, and Duke of York, p. 26— Nichols, Lovelace, Andros, 
Dongan, p. 26 — First representative assembly, p. 28. 

CHAPTER III. 

James II. William III.— Jacob Leisler, p. 29— Sloughter ; Leisler exe- 
cuted as a rebel, p. 31 — Fletcher governor, p. 32— Col. Peter Schuy- 
ler, p. 33— First printing press in New York — William Bradford, p. 
34— Printers and newspapers, p. 37. 

CHAPTER IV. 

Lord Bellamont, p. 38— Size of New York, p. 38— Kidd the pirate, p. 40 
— Lieutenant-governor Nanfan, p. 4)3 — Lords Cornbury and Lovelace, 
Mr. Ingoklsby, p. 43 — Governors Hunter and Burnet, p. 45 — Ameri- 
can congresses, p. 46 — Montgomerie, Vandam, Cosby, p. 47 — Lord 
Augustus Fitzroy and his wedding, p. 48— Clarke, p. 49— Crimes, 
slaves, redemptio'ners, and convicts, p. 51— A story, p. 53. 

CHAPTER V. 

The Negro plot— Stadt Huys or City Hall at Coenties Slip, p. 57— A 
new City Hall in Wail Street, p. 58— More of the Negro plot, p. 61 — 
John Ury, p. 63— Campbell and Highlanders, p. 66— Burning of 
Schenectady, p. 72. 

CHAPTER VI. 

Governor Clinton, p. 73— Sir Danvers Osborne, p. 75— Mr. Delancey, 
p. 76— Sir Charles Hardy, p. 76— Story of Sarah Wilson and Toin 
Bell, p. 88. 

CHAPTER VII. 

Great designs of the French, p. 90— Lord Chatham's opinion of men 
fit for governors of the Colonies, p. 90— Cadvvallader Colden and 
Wentworth, p. 91— Robert Monckton, p. 92— Story of Indian war- 
fare, p. 94— Blessings derived from England, p. 95. 

CHAPTER VIII. 

Flattenbarick hill, p. 97— Captain Isaac Sears, p. 100— Cause of the 
war of 1775— Custom-house officers, p. 103— Captains of English 
armed ships made custom-house officers, p. 103 — Smugglers and 
informers, p. 103— Tarring and feathering, p. 105— Murder of a fe- 
male by an English man-of-war firing into Mr. Ricket's pleasure 
boat, 105— Impressment, p. 110— Death of Lieutenant Panton, p. 



b CONTENTS. 

110— John Adams and Michael Corbett— the Trial, p. Ill— Stamp 
Act, p. 112— Congress at New York, p. 113— Reception of the stamps 
at New York, p. 115— Riot, p. 117— Governor Moore, p. 118— Letter of 
William Smith to Major Horatio Gates— Repeal of the Stamp Act 
and Lord Chatham's statue in Wall Street, p. 123. 

CHAPTER IX. 

Equestrian statue of George the Third set up in Bowling Green, p. 125 
— Overthrown, p. 126 — Further attempts at taxation ; and disputes re- 
specting quartering soldiers, p. 128 — Death of Sir Henry Moore, p. 
129— Meeting in the fields, and its consequences, p. 129. 

CHAPTER X. 

The liberty pole, p. 130— Contest between the citizens and the English 
soldiers, p. 134— Honours paid to Captain McDougal in jail, p. 137 — 
Philip Schuyler, p. 138— Conclusion of the story of the princess, 
p. 140. 

CHAPTER XI. 

Insolence of the king's officers, p. 140 — Letter of a military officer, 
p. 141 — East India Company's tea, p. 143 — Isaac Sears, p. 144 — Philip 
Schuyler, George Clinton, and Nathaniel Woodhull, a minority in the 
assembly, p. 145— Doctor Yeldall, the mountebank, p. 147— Sad end 
of Mr. Merryman, p. 149 — Pirates, p. 150. 

CHAPTER XII. 

Indians, p. 151— The Six Nations, p. 152— Webster the interpreter, 
p. 1513— Confederacy of the Iroquois, p. J54--Customs and religion, p. 
155— Hospitality, p. 157— Riches and poverty, p. 158— Reformation of 
the Onondagas, p. 159 — Education, eloquence, instability of reforma- 
tion founded on deception, p. 160— Ease with which the Indians 
parted with large tracts of land— Johnson, Smith, p. 164— Town of 
Pompey, p. 165. 

CHAPTER XIII. 

French church, p. 167— Case of spontaneous combustion, p. 168 — 
Governors Montgomerie, Tryon. Dunmore, p. 171 — Disputes with 
New Hampshire — Ethan Allen, Seth Warner — Bennington mob, p. 
172— Resolutions to send back the tea, p. 175— Province house burnt, 
p. 176 — Departure of Tryon, p. 177 — James Rivington and Christopher 
Colles, p. 179. 

CHAPTER XIV. 

Old house in New Street, p. 180— Arrival of the tea— The ship stopped 
at Sandy Hook, p. 181 — Arrival of Chambers and his tea, p. 183 — 
Departure of the Nancy, p. 1S4— Great committee, p. 185— Delegates 
to congress, p. 185— John Jay's declaration of rights, p. 187. 

CHAPTER XV. 

Settlement of New Jersey, p. 189— Delaware Indians, p. 190— An In- 
terpreter's story, p. 193. 

CHAPTER XVI. 

Early government of New Jersey, and purchases from the Indians, 
p. 197— Perth Amboy, original name of the place, p. 198— Story of 
robbers and counterfeiters, p. 205. 

CHAPTER XVII. 

Painting and painters, with other artists, p. 207— Newspapers, p. 207— 
Cunningham and Hill, at the liberty pole, p. 209— Cunningham pro- 
vost, marshal, p. 211 — Rivington and the committee of the provincial 
congress, p. 213--Minority in the New York legislature, p. 214 — 
Doctor Warren, p. 216. 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK, 
FOR SCHOOLS. 



CHAPTER I. 

The interlocutors are three boys: John, aged 14; 
William, aged 12; Philip, aged 10; one girl, 
Mary, aged 8; and their Uncle, aged 71. 

William. Now, that Uncle Philip has gone away, 
will not you tell us the history of New York during 
the war % You know he only told us how the quar- 
rel began between America and England, and the 
most curious things must have happened after that. 
Now, do you tell us, Uncle; you are older than Un- 
cle Philip, and ought to know more. 

Uncle. That does not follow, my boy ; Uncle Phil- 
ip knows by reading. A man can know but little 
who does not read : he has read more than I have. 

Mary. But you have seen all the people he told 
us about. 

Un. Oh, no, child. Do you suppose that I saw 
Henry Hudson ? 

John. Hush, Mary. You should remember dates; 
Uncle Thomas told us he is 71 years old; and, of 
course, he can only remember what passed 50 or 60 
years ago. 

Phil. Uncle might remember many things that 
Uncle Philip could only know from hearsay, or 
reading of them. 

Mary. I am 8 years last June, and I remember 
a long, long time. 



10 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

Phil. Now, sir, you will oblige us all very much, 
if you will go on with, the stories of old times. You 
have read all the books as well as Uncle Philip, and 
know some things of your own, besides. 

Un. Well, children, I will do as you wish ; but I 
must first examine you in respect to what you have 
been told. Do you think you remember the first 
part of the History of New York sufficiently to un- 
derstand the second? 

Mary. O yes, sir: I remember all about In- 
dians — 

John, Hush, Mary. 

Un. You, John, William, and Philip, having be- 
come some years older since your Uncle Philip 
taught you, should have gained more particular in- 
formation on many points that were then only 
touched upon. And Mary is almost as old now as 
Philip was, when your Uncle gave you the first part 
of the history of your native town and state. I will 
question you, John, as the oldest, respecting the 
early history, and will perhaps add circumstances 
which, at that time, your Uncle thought you were 
all too young to understand. Who was the discov- 
erer of this Island, and the beautiful bay and rivers 
that surround it? 

Mary. O ! I know ! Henry Hudson ! Henry 
Hudson ! 

John. Henry Hudson, an Englishman, who had 
failed in his attempts to find a northwest passage for 
ships to- the East Indies, and had been dismissed 
from the service of the English, ^vas received into 
the employ of the Dutch East India Company, and 
in his third voyage of discovery, after coasting as 
far south as Virginia, he turned north again, and 
saw for the first time the highlands of Neversink. 

Un. I should call them Navesink, which I believe 
was the Indian name. 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 11 

Mary. But Uncle Philip said Never-sink ; and 
that you know means that they keep above water. 

Un. Well, we will not dispute that point; but, 
John, when did Hudson arrive in this neighbour- 
hood? 

John. He saw land the 2d of September, 1609, and 
next day entered the great bay between Sandy Hook, 
Staten Island, and Amboy. 

Phil. And then, you know, the Indians killed 
John Colman. 

Un. You are right. Colman had command of a 
boat that was sent out to catch fish, and the Indians 
attacked the men, perhaps thinking that they had 
no right to come upon their fishing grounds ; so 
they discharged a flight of arrows, headed with 
sharp flint stones, one of which struck Colman in 
the throat and killed him. 

Phil. Why didn't the sailors shoot the Indians ? 
Had they no guns in the boat ? 

Un. Yes ; but the guns of that time were clumsy 
things, without locks, and could only be fired off by 
applying a match to the touchhole. 

Mary. As they fire off cannon on the Fourth 
of July. 

Un. Yes. And it so happened that the weather 
was rainy, and the sailors had let their matches be- 
come wet, so that they could not defend themselves, 
and got back to the ship as fast as they could, car- 
rying poor Colman dying with them. You see, on 
the map, a little island outside of the Narrows, just 
off Long Island. 

John. Yes, sir. 

Un. Well ; there they buried Colman, and called 
the place Colman's Island. 

Phil. It is called Coney Island on the map. 

Un. We shall find that many places have had 
their names changed, as I think very foolishly. 



12 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

Now, it is a pity the name of John Colman had not 
been preserved by calling the place of his burial 
after him : for it appears that he commanded the 
boat which bore the first Europeans through that 
passage so familiar to us all, as the Narrows. They 
described it as entering a river between two islands, 
and said, that after proceeding some distance, they 
came to an open sea, for so they called our beautiful 
harbour. It is probable that the wet, rainy, or misty 
atmosphere, prevented them from seeing Manhattan 
Island and its rivers. After the death of Colman, 
many Indians came on board, and brought tobacco 
and Indian corn, which they exchanged for knives 
and beads. They afterward brought oysters and 
beans, as well as tobacco and corn. 

John. Is it not strange, sir, that they should cul- 
tivate such a nauseous weed as tobacco % 

Vn. Is it not strange that civilized men should 
cultivate it? 

John. They do it for the purpose of trade, sir. 

Vn. True, my boy, it seems as if for the purposes 
of trade and gain — men, calling themselves civilized, 
and Christians, will cultivate and manufacture any 
thing, however noxious. But it is equally strange, 
that civilized men should consume this nauseous 
weed; yet we find it sought after, and its juices, its 
smoke, or its dust, applied to the organs of taste and 
smell all over the world. There is an exciting, stim- 
ulating, intoxicating effect, produced by tobacco. 

Phil. And you know, Uncle, that the Indians 
delighted in rum, which Uncle Philip said Hudson 
gave to them. Was it not wicked to do so ? 

V71. Europeans found they could gain their in- 
terested ends by distributing this poison among the 
Indians. We may lament that the poor ignorant 
savages should be tempted to an indulgence which 
deprives them of reason : but we must wonder that 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 13 

men who know that it is an evil, and leading to 
every enormity, should still continue a practice so 
degrading as the use of intoxicating liquors ; or so 
base as the distribution of them among the ignorant 
of the savage or the civilized race. But go on, John. 
Did not Henry Hudson pass with his ship through 
the Narrows? 

John. O yes, sir, and he went up the North river 
as far as he could find depth of water for his ship. 

Phil. And he called it Hudson's river, and he 
landed among the Indians. 

John. It is supposed that he went with his vessel, 
the Half Moon, as far as where Albany now stands, 
and then returned ; and after sometimes trading 
with the Indians, and sometimes killing them, he 
went back to Europe again, without going up the 
East river at all. It is said his men forced him 
to go to England, although he was sent out by 
the Dutch. The king of England kept Hudson 
from going to Holland, and employed him to make 
discoveries for Great Britain : but he never returned 
to New York. 

Un. So we have no farther to do with his history. 

John. But we know that he was sent by the Eng- 
lish on his fourth voyage, and discovered Hudson's 
Bay, and that he was set adrift in a boat by his crew, 
and was never heard of more. 

Un. True ; and there are particulars of this mu- 
tiny which were published by a man who was on 
board the ship, which I have read, and think you 
ought to know. It was the 17th of April, 1610, 
when Hudson sailed on his fourth voyage of dis- 
covery. Before he weighed anchor, it had been 
his misfortune, as it proved, to be applied to for 
charity by a young man of the name of Henry 
Green, a Kentish youth of good family and educa- 
cation, who had fallen into evil companv and courses 
2 



14 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

in London ; had spent all his property, and so dis- 
gusted his friends and relatives, that they turned him 
away as a worthless vagabond. He pretended repent- 
ance, and by his art gained the good Mill of Hud- 
son, who took him to his house, and gave him em- 
ployment, and, when he sailed, took him along as 
his clerk or bookkeeper. Green proved both a hy- 
pocrite and a reprobate. He gained Hudson's fa- 
vour, and ill used the officers and men of the ship. 
The Captain's partiality created great dissatisfaction 
among the mariners, which was increased by the 
hardships they underwent among the ice and snow 
of the polar regions, and was brought to a mutiny 
by the failure of their provisions and the arts of 
Green. 

Wm. I remember that Green was the ringleader 
in the mutiny, as Uncle Philip told us; but how 
could he be so, if he quarrelled with the sailors and 
was a favourite with the Captain. 

Tin. He was an unworthy favourite, a man of 
evil habits, in a word, children, he was selfish ; and 
the selfish are ready to destroy others for the grati- 
fication of their own ambition or vanity. Such are 
the great heroes and conquerors you read of, who, 
to accomplish their schemes, sacrifice the friends 
they mislead, the dependants who look to them for 
support, and the peaceful inhabitants of foreign 
countries ; who are denominated enemies, or here- 
ticks, or infidels, or by any name that can deceive the 
soldiers who are led on to murder their fellow men : 
such have been all the great conquerors of the 
earth. 

Mary. Uncle, I don't understand you. 

JJn. My feelings have made me forget that my 
auditors are children. 

Wm. I think I understand. 

John. I know I do ; for I have read of Alexander 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 15 

and Cesar; but I never thought of the miseries 
you speak of: then, Bonaparte — ah! I remember 
now what I read of the wounded men at Leipsic — 
and the poor soldiers in Russia ; thousands on thou- 
sands freezing and dying. 

Phil. But Washington was a conqueror, and I 
am sure he was good. 

Un, He was victorious in defence of his country ; 
in repelling those who, if successful, would have 
been conquerors. The conquering hero is one who 
carries blood and devastation over other countries 
than his own ; the victorious patriot defends the 
property, lives, and liberties of his countrymen. But 
we have left poor Henry Hudson in the ice, sur- 
rounded by mutinous, half-starved sailors, and ex- 
posed to the arts of the selfish Henry Green. This 
man became the enemy of Hudson apparently for a 
very trifling cause. The gunner of the ship died ; 
and, as is customary, his clothing was sold by auc- 
tion, that the sailors might buy what they wanted, 
and the money be kept for the heirs of the deceased. 
Green coveted a particular garment ; but Hudson 
justly sold it to the highest bidder, a man who chose 
to give more than Green. This was the ostensible 
cause of Green's enmity to his benefactor; but the 
real cause was the wicked disposition he had ac- 
quired while a debauched spendthrift in London. It 
is in vain that you give to the selfish: they require 
all ; if you refuse the last thing coveted by the sel- 
fish man, you make an enemy of him, because he 
seeks his own gratification, rather than the welfare 
of his fellow. I have dwelt upon this, my children, 
because I shall show you in the history of New 
York, and could point out in all other history, just 
such men as Henry Green, seeking their own gra- 
tification at the expense of others. 

John. I shall remember, sir ; and when you speak 



16 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

of a selfish man, I shall think of Green. But Green 
destroyed Hudson, the man to whom he owed so 
much. 

Phil. And to whom we owe New York. 

Mary. And Hudson's river. 

Un. The wicked do not always prevail to the de- 
struction of the good ; and when they do, they do 
not gain happiness for themselves, though their 
prosperity may flatter them for a time. Green, like 
many selfish men, could make himself agreeable by 
pretending to act for the good of others, and by flat- 
tering personal attentions to those he wished to gain. 
Green finding Hudson's ship in difficulty, sur- 
rounded by ice, provisions short, and the Captain 
still bent on pursuing his voyage for the benefit of 
his employers, paid his court to the sailors, and soon 
persuaded them that he was their friend, and that 
Hudson, for his own private views, kept them in 
these inhospitable seas, where their lives were in 
constant jeopardy. He told them that only fourteen 
days' provisions remained, and that they must take 
command of the ship and seek their safety, or 
starve; that by getting rid of Hudson, and some 
others, particularly the sick men, they would in- 
crease the share of provisions and the chance of 
escape ; that the Captain had concealed bread and 
other necessaries in his cabin, for his own private 
use, while they were starving; that self-preservation 
was the first law of nature, and to save themselves 
they must turn the Captain and the sick men adrift 
in the shallop. 

Mary. Uncle, how do you know that he said all 
this? 

Un. Well asked, my little girl. Like other his- 
torians, I make my personages speak my own lan- 
guage. But the substance of this is recorded by one 
who was of the crew, and witnessed the transaction. 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 17 

His name was Habakkuk Pricket. He heard this 
said ; at least he told the world so. 

John. Pray, go on, sir. 

Un. The mate had, for misconduct, been de- 
graded, and another appointed. The boatswain and 
others, who had been punished or reprimanded for 
misdeeds, entered into the conspiracy. So, on Sun- 
day, the 22d of June, 1610, (which we may consider 
as the day of Hudson's death,) upon his coming out 
of his cabin at the call of Juett the discarded mate, 
two conspirators, John Thomas and Eennet Ma- 
thews, seized him by the collar, and Wilson, the 
boatswain, stood ready to tie Jiis hands behind him. 
He asked what they meant. They answered, " You 
will know w r hen you are in the shallop." They 
drove all the sick people upon deck, and then forced 
them and the Captain into the small boat, which 
they had ready to receive them. John King, the 
carpenter, and John Hudson, the Captain's kinsman, 
who would not join the conspirators, but rather 
chose to share the fate of the honest and innocent, 
were added to the devoted crew of the boat; and 
thus were nine persons, assuredly the best of the 
ship's company, including the intelligent and hon- 
est Henry Hudson, committed in an open shal- 
lop to the merciless sea, without compass to guide, 
or food to sustain their strength. 

Phil. Oh, Uncle, I cannot but think of Henry 
Hudson, when he landed among the Indians of 
New York, and they thought a God was come to 
bless them. 

Un. The contrast is great, my boy. 

John. But though he and his companions perish- 
ed, I. would rather be with them than with Green and 
his murderous crew. Uncle Philip told us that they 
suffered much ; that Green was killed in attempting 
to land somewhere : and that those who lived to 
2* 



18 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

reach England, were wasted by famine and suffer- 
ing to mere skeletons ; but he did not know whether 
the scoundrels were hanged or not. Poor Hudson! 
that was the last we know of him. 



CHAPTER II. 



Un. Now, John, tell me what happened in con- 
sequence of Hudson's discovery of New York. 

John. Why, sir, the Dutch rinding that they could 
get furs nearer than the East Indies, sent out an- 
other ship to New York to trade with the Indians; 
and in 1614, the Dutch government encouraged a 
company of merchants, and licensed them as the 
West India Company, and they sent out two ships, 
commanded by Adrian Block and Hendrick Chris- 
tiansee. Block came first, and he sailed both up 
the Hudson and the East river, and called the last 
Helle-gaat river. 

Phil. That is, Hell-gate. 

Un. I must tell you, children, this name is vari- 
ously given by writers. Some say hurl or whirl 
gate, from the boiling of the water at a certain time 
of tide ; some Hell-gate, because of the danger of 
getting on the rocks. 

Mary. And what do you call it, Uncle? 

Un. I am willing to let the popular or vulgar 
name stand, Hell-gate : though I believe that the 
Dutch, when they entered the beautiful strait be- 
tween New York Island and Long Island, called it 
the Helder or Helle-gaat, which is the bright pas- 
sage or strait. And so says Judge Benson in his 
Memoir. 

Phil. Push on, John ; I want to come to where 
Uncle Philip left off 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 19 

Un. You will remember, children, that Block 
sailed through the sound, and joined Christiansee to 
the eastward ; that they discovered many places, 
and returned to our bay and river. Did they then 
settle New York % 

John. O no, sir. They went up the Hudson and 
built a fort, on Castle Island, just below Albany ; and 
here Christiansee remained to trade. And trade, 
sir, appears to have been the object of all the dis- 
coverers ; for when, in 1615, they made a fort on 
Manhattan Island, and erected some few r huts or 
houses, they only intended to trade with the Indians. 

Un. True, boy ; the desire for wealth, the thirst 
for gold, has led men to the discovery and settle- 
ment of empires : and thus it is, that although the 
motive for action may be sordid, or worse, Provi- 
dence works out good from evil. I do not mean 
that trading is evil. New York was begun by 
traders, and it now flourishes by trade ; but what a 
difference ! Then, a stockade fort, or a stone wall, 
a few huts, a single ship, (to which an Albany sloop 
is a floating palace,) beads and shells for money, 
and otter skins and green tobacco for merchandise. 
Now, thousands of palaces, and thousands of ves- 
sels, whose long-boats might vie with the half-decked 
shallop of Columbus, banks, mints, bills of credit, 
and specie ; with the manufactures of both hemis- 
pheres as the articles of commerce ! But, my boy, 
where was the first Dutch fort ? 

John. Uncle Philip said above the Bowling 
Green. I don : t know where. 

Un. I think it was behind Trinity church. The 
water, then, came up to the site of Lombard street ; 
and the bank of the river was where now the west 
wall of the churchyard is. In the year 1751, some 
workmen digging on the bank, back of Trinity 
church, discovered a stone wall, which occasioned 



20 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

great wonder ; for already the first fort and its site 
was forgotten. It has been objected, that the early 
traders would only have a pallisade, or a wooden 
wall ; but though brick were long after brought 
from Holland, Manhattan Island furnished plenty of 
stones ; and a stone fort or battery was easily made. 
Go on. 

John. In 1621, the Dutch government gave the 
New Netherlands (that is, New York and all their 
possessions hereabout) to their West India Com- 
pany; and in 1623, Capt. Mey was sent out, and 
found the people who had been left here by the 
traders almost starving ; but as he came to make a 
settlement, or found a colony, he brought all necessa- 
ry supplies with him. New Netherlands extended, 
according to the Dutch, from Delaware river to 
Cape Cod. See here on the map, Philip. 

Phil. I see Cape May, and Uncle Philip said 
that was meant for his name. 

Vn. You remember that this year, 1623, the 
Dutch buiJt two other forts, and more houses, which 
may be considered as the commencement of both 
New York and Albany ; but the places were called 
after the forts : the one on our island, Amsterdam ; 
and that, near the place where Albany now stands, 
was fort Orange. 

Mary. And the new fort was where the beautiful 
battery now is. 

Vn. No. Where we now can walk and view 
the bay, the islands, and the shipping, was one field 
of rock, or water ; the rocks were covered, in part, at 
flood tide, but bare and black when the water ebbed ; 
so I remember it for many years. 

Phil. Why is it called the Battery? 

Un. Because, many years ago, a battery was 
built on the Copsey rocks, as they were called ; which 
fortification was almost as far from the outer walk 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 21 

of our battery, as the west side of State street; above 
that, and extending - to Pearl street, (southeast,) was 
a mound of earth, or bluff, overlooking the rocks 
and the bay. On this mound, fort Amsterdam was 
built; and it was enlarged and strengthened in after 
times ; so that when you hear of the fort, or fort 
James, or fort George, you must remember it was 
on this bluff; which, on the land side, descended 
gradually to what was called the green, and after- 
ward the Bowling Green. You remember who 
was the first governor of New Amsterdam? 

Jshn. Yes, sir ; Peter Minuit. 

Un. He arrived in 1625. The Dutch called him 
" Director General," but " Governor" answers as 
well. At this time Bradford was governor of New 
England, and the English and Dutch began to 
quarrel. 

John. Yes, sir, but trade increased at New York ; 
for it is a capital place for trade, everybody says. 
Gov. Minuit built a house for himself in fort Am- 
sterdam, and store houses, and many houses in the 
town. 

Un. I will show you the fashion of the Dutch 
houses, which were the only kind in New York for 
many years. I remember the greater part of Broad 
street being so built, and some of them have only 
been removed within a few years. This was erect- 
ed in 1689, and was a famous house in its time. I 
wish I could tell you the history of the owner. 

Wm. Perhaps it was old Governor Stuyvesants' 
house ? 

Un. O no. His estate lay in the Bowery ; and 
the old Stuyversant house was only removed a few 
years ago. I will show you a picture of that, by 
and by. The old Governor, however, had a town 
house, and the one I shall show you, was his coun- 
try residence. 



22 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 




Wm. What a strange looking building ! It stands 
end foremost. 

Un. It is certainly very unlike the five story 
houses that have taken its place. Go on, John. 

John. In 1629, the Dutch government gave chart- 
ers to several persons, and grants and privileges to 
plant colonies. These men sent out Wouter Van 
Tvriller to purchase lands for them, as their agent, 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 23 

and each became what is called a patroon ; but none 
are left now, except Mr. Van Rensselaer, whose 
land was purchased near Albany. In 1683, Peter 
Minuit returned home, and Wouter Van Twiller, 
who had been agent for the patroons, arrived as 
governor. 

Un. In the mean time, you know, colonization 
had been going on in Canada by the French ; and 
the English had settled both north and south of our 
Dutch progenitors : of this we will talk and read 
another day; but I must mention one arrival on the 
continent, and one man who led the way to great 
events. 

Phil. I don't remember any great general, sir. 

Un. This man brought with him an art, some- 
times called the black art — an art that has revolu- 
tionized the world. 

John. I don't remember, sir. 

Un. In the year 1530, Samuel Green arrived at 
Cambridge, Massachusetts, and brought with him 
this wonderful art, and his implements of power. 
He was a printer, boy, and his press was the first in 
North America. 

Phil. I wish that New York had had that hon- 
our. 

Un. We must praise, and not be jealous of our 
neighbours. We should love our neighbours as 
ourselves. Well, John, what did Governor Van 
Twiller do? 

John. He built the first church in New Amster- 
dam, and encouraged the people to build houses, 
which they did close under the fort, mostly in that 
part of Pearl street adjoining the Battery, at present. 

Un. Yes ; I do remember when the fort, on its 
mound, overhung the houses in Pearl street. 

John. In the mean time, the Dutch settled the 
south end of Long Island, by degrees, and some of 



24 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

them, called Walloons, fixed themselves about 
Brooklyn ; and, it is said, from them comes the 
name of Wallabout, where the Navy Yard now is. 
Governor Kieft came next, in 1638, and he had 
troubles enough with the English, and with the In- 
dians. 

Un. You hold in mind, children, that the Dutch 
claimed as their own all the country from Connecti- 
cut river on the east, to the Delaware river on the 
west ; and as the English claimed not only the coun- 
try on each side, but the whole of the Dutch New 
Netherlands, quarrels were likely to ensue. The 
Dutch had their fort or trading house on Connecticut 
river, where Hartford stands, and called it Huys van 
goede hope : the house of good hope. The English 
were too m;my for the Dutch, and encroached both 
in Connecticut and on Long Island, until a line of de- 
marcation was agreed upon : and to the westward it 
was the same, until finally the whole, as we shall 
see, was yieMed to the English. 

John. And Governor Kieft had his troubles, too, 
with the Indians. 

Un. Yes ; and as you may remember, he fought 
a hard battle with them, and could scarcely claim 
the victory. Well, what governor of the colony, or 
director of the traders, came next? 

John. Governor Peter Stuyvesant ; and he was the 
last Dutch governor, and his family are here yet. 

Un. You have a memorandum of the years in 
which the governors began to rule New York. 

John. Yes, sir. He came in 1647, and he gov- 
erned New Netherlands till 1664. And Uncle 
Philip told us he had trouble with the Swedes, who 
claimed the country to the south on the Delaware 
river, and because they had seized the Dutch fort 
Cassimir where Newcastle is now ; and so Govern- 
or Stuyvesant finding that a Swedish ship had come 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 25 

to the Raritan river, (here, by Amboy,) he seized 
her, and then went and retook fort Cassimir. 

Wm. That was right. Well done Governor 
Stuyvesant. 

Un. Did the brave old governor remain master 
of all this country 1 

John. No, sir ; for Charles the Second, of Eng- 
land, claimed all this territory ; and England being 
very powerful, she took the whole. 

Un. You, John, have been reading the History 
of England. 

John. Yes, sir ; and I think Charles was a very 
scandalous man. 

Un. You say England was very powerful in his 
reign. 

John. Ay ; but not by his means. I think he 
proved unworthy of being a king, for he was so 
fond of indulging himself, that he became a pen- 
sioner to the king of France ; — no, sir, the power 
of England was owing to the wisdom and courage 
of Oliver Cromwell, as I think. 

Un. So I think, too. Well, Charles took all this 
country from the Dutch : and what did he do with 

John. He gave it to his brother, the Duke of 
York ; and a fleet came out here, too strong for 
Governor Stuyvesant, and he was obliged to give 
up the place: but he made a good capitulation, and 
he and most of the Dutch people staid under the 
English government. 

Un. The names of the country, and the towns, and 
the forts, were changed. 

John. Yes, sir. The Duke named every thing 
almost after himself. New Amsterdam became 
New York, and the fort was called James ; and as 
he had the titles of Albany and Ulster, as well as 
York, he called fort Orange (the Dutch trading 
3 



S6 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 



house up the river) Albany, and one of the counties 
of the colony Ulster. 

Mary. But is that any harm, Uncle? 
Un. No, not much, my dear. A greater man 
than any king has said, «A rose by any name 
would smell as sweet;" and Albany, or New York, 
or Ulster, do not now partake of the infamy of 
Charles the Second, or his brother James Well 
John, what next % 

John. Nichols governed New York for three 
years, and then Col. Francis Lovelace succeeded 
mm as English governor, and he ruled from 1667 
to 1673; and then England and Holland being at 
war, a Dutch fleet came here, and while they lay 
at Staten Island, John Manning sent them a mes- 
sage that he was governor of the fort, and would 
give it up to them; I suppose, for a good round sum ; 
and so they came up, and Manning gave them the 
tort and they had the town again; and they chose 
Anthony Colve for governor: but next year 1674 
.England and Holland made a peace, by which the 
Dutch gave up New York, and Sir Edmund An- 
dros came out as governor, and he disgraced Man- 
ning and broke his sword over his head. 

Wm. That must have broke his head, too, I rmess 
Un. O no. The sword was held over his head] 
and broke ; not broke on his head. 

Wm. Well, I wish it had been ! the scoundrel t 
Un. Well John, you know Sir Edmund Andros 
was sent to be governor of Massachusetts. Who 
succeeded him here in New York ? 
,j' k pol. Thomas Dongan, sir.' He arrived in 
lbSd, ana as the people complained that they had 
no part in making laws for the colony, he called 
upon them to send representatives to a general as- 
sembly; and so the people had a voice, as it is called, 
in making laws for themselves, as it ought to be 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 27 

Wm. I think they ought to have all the voices. 
How many voices were there, Uncle? 

Un. I am afraid you are too young to understand 
me, on this subject. 

Wm. I will try. 

Un. Well, boy, at present, that is, after (and in 
consequence of) the revolutionary war, of which 
we are to talk, the people secured to themselves all 
the voices, as you call it; so that now they elect the 
three distinct branches of the government, which 
make the laws for regulating their actions and se- 
curing their property. They elect their own gov- 
ernor ; and a senate, or upper house of representa- 
tives; and an assembly, or lower house of represen- 
tatives ; and, in this city, their mayor, aldermen, and 
assistants. 

John. Why, sir, was not one house of representa- 
tives enough? 

Un. Because, my boy, although the people might 
choose the best and wisest men to represent them, 
they were still but men, and liable to mistakes, and 
to the influence of passion ; and if they made a law 
when they were angry, or frightened, it might do 
their constituents harm instead of good: but by 
making it necessary that another assembly, or the 
senate, should deliberate upon the law passed by the 
first, time is gained, fright and anger may have less 
or no influence ; and if both assemblies agree, and 
it is sanctioned by the third voice, or the governor, 
the people may be pretty sure that it is right. Do 
you understand me ? 

Wm. I think I do, sir. 

John. Yes, sir. And before Governor Dongan 
called the people together to elect an assembly of 
representatives, they were ruled altogether by men 
who were not chosen by themselves. 

Un. That is it, boy. The Duke of York sent out 



28 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

a man to take care of his province for him ; and 
that man chose his friends as magistrates, or as a 
council, and his business was to make as much 
money for himself as he could, without incurring 
the displeasure of his master. Now, about the 
time Dongan came out, the people had become 
strong enough, as well as wise enough, to feel that 
all was not right ; so to satisfy them, he instituted 
the representative assembly : but that, as you know, 
was only one part in three ; and, until the revolu- 
tion, the governors and their council may be con- 
sidered as the creatures of a foreign country, look- 
ing upon the people as inferior beings, to be managed 
for the gratification and the interest of the rulers, 
and those who commissioned them. But, by de- 
grees, the people's representatives grew stronger 
and bolder ; and the people saw that they were con- 
sidered only as the property of England, to be 
nursed or oppressed at the will of foreigners ; then, 
the one voice, or house of assembly, opposed the 
other two, and, finally, came on those times we are 
to talk about, by and by. 

Wm. Well, go ahead, John. I want to come to 
the time when the people would not be ruled by 
foreigners, and would do as they pleased. That's 
what I like. 

Un. But you are not wise enough, and have not 
learned enough, to be trusted to do as you please. 
And so it was, and is, with the people. You are 
willing to let me direct you, and sometimes control 
you, — and so the people chose, and continue to 
choose, men to make laws, which they submit to for 
their own good. Now, John, let us proceed — but 
not till to-morrow. We will now go to breakfast. 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 29 



CHAPTER III. 

Un. We will now proceed with our recollec- 
tions. 

John. Uncle Philip was good enough to tell us 
about the wars with the French and Indians. 

Un. I had rather go on with the history of New 
York ; and speak of Canada, and the French and 
Indians, by and by. The Duke of York succeed- 
ed to the crown of England, and was called James 
the Second. Now. he was a Roman Catholick, and 
he had sent Governor Dongan to New York, because 
Dongan was a Roman Catholick also ; and he intro- 
duced men of the same persuasion into the offices 
of the government. Now, John, you know that the 
people of England had great dread of this religion, 
and had suffered much from the Pope, who is the 
head of it, and had determined to believe and think 
for themselves; and the people of New York were 
of the same opinion. 

John. Yes, sir ; Protestants. 

Un. So, James having offended his subjects in 
England, by avowing his Roman faith, he was de- 
throned, and William, Prince of Orange, a Pro- 
testant, put in his place. The people of New York 
saw that Dongan was doing here as James did in 
England, and they consulted together to preserve 
their right of judging for themselves in religious 
matters. They therefore concluded that the govern- 
ment of James must be overthrown here; but his 
officers held all the posts of profit, and his soldiers 
were in possession of the fort. One man among the 
people deserves to be remembered on this occasion. 

John. You mean Jacob Leisler, sir. 

Un. I do. He was a captain of militia, a Dutch- 
man by descent, and a man of property, and his 
3* 



30 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

company were attached to him. He took the op- 
portunity of Dongan's resigning the government 
to Mr. Nicholson, the lieutenant-governor, and 
when he had embarked for England, Leisler enter- 
ed the fort with his militia, and took it by surprise. 
The whole town then declared for William the 
Third, and Leisler was considered and acted as 
governor. But as he was a man of low origin, in the 
estimation of the gentry, as they were called, (that is, 
those families who had been counsellors, or of the 
king's council, and the officers, civil and military, 
sent out from England,) all these people were op- 
posed to Leisler, and refused to sign a declaration 
proposed by him in favour of the Prince of Orange. 
However, notwithstanding the lieutenant-governor's 
threats, and the influence of the English officers, 
the people prevailed. 

John. Why, Uncle, this was like democrats and 
aristocrats. 

Vn. Right, John ; and we shall find that the few, 
or the aristocracy, and the many, or the people, were 
from this time forward in opposition to each other ; 
but the few were supported by the power of Eng- 
land : and even Leisler was put down by the Eng- 
lish court, although he had seconded their views in 
displacing James, and proclaiming William. 

Wm. That was strange. 

TJn. No : for Leisler had acted against royal au- 
thority, and the aristocracy of England might fear 
to lose their profitable pickings in the colonies, if 
the people, or their leaders, were suffered to rule. 
You must know, and will see as you go on, that 
the offices of governor, lieutenant-governor, coun- 
sellor, judge, chief-justice, collector of the customs, 
and other profitable places, were given by the kings, 
or the ministers of England, to their relations, or 
favourites, or others whom they wanted to pay for 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 31 

services ; or whose importunities they wished to get 
rid of, without touching their own purses. If sent 
to the colonies, they might get as much as they 
could from the provincials, provided they obeyed 
those who sent them. 

John. Poor colonists. I remember, sir, that Leis- 
ler sent one Stoll with a letter to King William, but 
Nicholson, and a clergyman in his interest, got to 
England first, and Stoll was sent back with thanks, 
but no appointment for Leisler ; and his enemies, 
the great people, went up to Albany, and declared 
for King William, but against Leisler ; and he had 
to go up there, and take that fort by force. 

Un. No; he sent his son-in-law, Milborne, who 
after some difficulty succeeded. But you recollect 
there were many troubles about this time, and the 
Indians and French burnt Schenectady, and mur- 
dered many people ; and in the midst of these com- 
motions, Governor Sloughter was sent out from 
England, in 1691, and he made Leisler and Mil- 
borne prisoners, and brought them to a mock trial, 
for the judges referred the matter to the governor 
and his council, who, of course, condemned them ; 
but Sloughter was afraid to execute him, although 
he had, by calling an assembly, so pleased the peo- 
ple, or gained their representatives, that they aban- 
doned Leisler, and asked for his death. The ene- 
mies of Leisler are said to have obtained an order 
for hanging him while Sloughter was intoxicated, 
at a feast given him, previous to his going on a voy- 
age to Albany. 

Mary. A governor intoxicated, Uncle ! I thought 
only blackguards did so. 

Un. Drunkenness is now, my dear, considered 
by all people who have just sentiments of religion, 
or even worldly honour, as a low and despicable, as 
well as destructive vice ; — it was not always so. A 



32 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

governor, appointed by the king of Great Britain, 
signed a death warrant when drunk, which he dared 
not sign when in his senses. Leisler and his son- 
in-law were hanged like murderers, and their pro- 
perty seized for the government. 

Wm. And the people suffered them to be hanged ! 
If I was a man ! — 

Un. The people have often suffered their friends 
to be persecuted by their enemies ; but, at this time, 
the people feared the power of England, and they 
saw that Leisler had been abandoned by William 
the Third, in whose cause he had risked his life. 

John. But the English government afterward or- 
dered the estates of Leisler and Milbourne to be re- 
stored ; and the people had their bodies taken up 
and buried with great ceremony in the old Dutch 
church in Garden street. 

Un. True, John ; and the street has lost its name, 
and the church is demolished, and the bones of 
Leisler have been thrown into the highway. Such 
are the revolutions of opinion, and of churches, ci- 
ties, and states. 

John, And Sloughter died very suddenly, and 
was buried in old Governor Stuyvesant's vault, at 
St. Mark's church, near good Peter Stuyvesant. I 
think he did not deserve the honour. Our next gov- 
ernor's name was Fletcher; he came in 1692. 

Un. True. What do you remember of him ? 

John. That his name was Benjamin. He was a 
military man, and brought over a supply of arms to 
the province. He had heard that he should have 
trouble with the Indians; and he had also heard 
that Col. Peter Schuyler knew how to manage them 
better than anybody else, and so he applied to him 
for advice and assistance. 

Mary. I remember, the Indians had a funny 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 33 

name for him : they called him Q,uidder, because 
they couldn't say Peter. 

Un. Col. Schuyler was a friend to the Five Na- 
tions ; and they were wise enough to be guided by 
him. He repulsed the Canadians and French in an 
expedition which they undertook against the Indians; 
and Fletcher went from New York to Albany to the 
assistance of Schuyler and the Five Nations. But 
a voyage from New York in those days was almost 
as arduous and tedious as crossing the Atlantick 
now. 

John. Thanks to poor Mr. Fitch, (though he 
failed,) and to Chancellor Livingston, and, above 
all, to Mr. Fulton, we now go there in a few hours. 
It was well for the Indians that Col. Schuyler lived 
so near them. Well, sir, I believe Governor Fletch- 
er did not do much for New York. 

Un. No, my son, he did worse than nothing — he 
did wrong. He quarrelled with the representatives 
of the people, and, of course, became unpopular. 
He consulted his own mercenary views. This, 
children, was the natural consequence of the gov- 
ernor being a stranger, with interests of his own, 
(and of those who sent him,) not only different 
from, but at variance with, the interests of the peo- 
ple he was sent to rule over. Fletcher was governor 
until 1697, at w r hich time the war with the French 
ceased, by Avhat is called the Treaty of Ryswick, 
because made in a Dutch town of that name. Du- 
ring Fletcher's rule, several things of importance 
happened. The Dutch church in Garden street 
was built; that street which you know as Exchange 
Place, and which, with the church, was burnt the 
other day, in the great fire of December, 1835. And 
the first Trinity church was built in the place where 
one of the same name now stands. But, above all, 
the first printing press was set up in New York ; 



61 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

and the man's name who brought it here, and di- 
rected it, is more worthy of remembrance than that 
of a conqueror of armies and overthrower of empires. 

Wm. Who was it, sir ? 

Un. William Bradford. He had exercised his 
art in Philadelphia, a place which, though not as 
old as our city, had the honour of possessing this 
wonderful machine before New York. 

John. But wh} T did they not keep it ? 

Un. Bradford got himself into trouble by print- 
ing a pamphlet, which was in opposition to the 
wishes of the people ; and he fled to New York to 
avoid a lawsuit, or its consequences, and thus he 
was the first printer in both cities. 

Wm. And had the people of Philadelphia no- 
body to print a newspaper for them ? 

Un. My good boy, the people of Philadelphia 
and New York had no newspapers then. Boston 
was the first town of our country that had a news- 
paper. It was printed once a week, and its size was 
not much more than my two hands put together. 

Wm. And now we have papers almost as big as 
tablecloths, and twenty of them every day. 

Un. It must be difficult for you, my children, to 
keep in mind what New York was at the time of 
which we are speaking, because you are accustomed 
to see it in its present improved and enlarged state. 
But I would have you remember, that at the peace 
of Ryswick, 'o/ which we have just spoken, that is, 
in 1697, the city only contained about 4300 inhabit- 
ants, and now 300,000; that of these 4300, a third 
perhaps were slaves, and could not read, as was 
likewise the case with many who thought them- 
selves free; and that now scarce a person can be 
found, born in America, but can and does read. 
You must remember that we are now speaking of a 
little town that was all within a palisaded fence, 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 35 

built to keep off Indians, and extended only from the 
Battery to Wall street; and that then there were 
three or four places of worship, and now one hun- 
dred and fifty. 

W?n. But what did the poor people who could 
read do for newspapers and books, sir ? 

Un. They depended for them, and every thing 
else, almost, upon Europe. The Dutch inhabitants 
got their books, and their bricks to build houses, 
from Holland ; and the English looked to England 
for the same. 

John. I should like to know, sir, something more 
about the first printing presses and printers. 

Un. There is a book, called Thomas's History 
of Printing, which you must have ; but, in the mean 
time, I will mention a few circumstances respect- 
ing these engines of mighty power, these protectors 
of all we hold dear ! for it gives me pleasure, my boy, 
that you should be interested in the subject. The 
first printing press sent out to North America, ar- 
rived in Massachusetts, in 1638. 

John. Who was so good as to send it, sir. 

Un. I am pleased by the question. It was sent 
by Mr. J. Glover — I wish I knew whether his name 
was John, Jacob, or Jonathan ; but it was Glover, 
and he was an English dissenting clergyman. This 
important machine was set in operation the next 
year after it arrived, by Stephen Day. A printer 
had come to Cambridge eight years before ; this was 
Samuel Greene, and he became the successor of 
Mr. Day. It was in 1667 that John Forbes estab- 
lished a printing press in Boston, and in 1687 Wil- 
liam Bradford set up the first press in Pennsylva- 
nia ; and the first sheet printed by him was an alma- 
nack. It is worth remembering, that his press was 
situated in Kensington, and near the tree called the 
" Treaty tree," where William Penn made his pur- 



36 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

chase of soil from the Indians. In 1689, Bradford 
printed a pamphlet, which was the first book printed 
in Pennsylvania ; and, unhappily, it was an offensive 
controversial affair, written by George Keith, teacher 
of the first school established in the province ; and 
as Keith undertook to teach the Quakers, who had 
employed him to teach their children, it caused a 
quarrel, in which Bradford was involved, and, as 
we have seen, forced to fly to New York. 

Wm. And then the New York people had news- 
papers ! 

Un. O no. There was yet no newspaper printed 
anywhere in the colonies. But in 1704, Bartholo- 
mew Greene, the son of the Samuel Greene we have 
seen printing at Cambridge, established a weekly 
paper in Boston, and called it the " News Letter." 

John. I should like to see the first newspaper 
printed in America. 

Wm. So should I. 

Un. You may see one impression by applying to 
Mr. Forbes, the librarian of the City Library. We 
will all go and look at it. 

John. Yes, sir. On what day of the year was it 
printed, sir? 

Un. Mr. Thomas says the 24th of April ; but you 
will see that the first number was printed on the 
17th of April, 1704. It is on a half sheet of what 
Mr. Thomas calls " pot paper," a little affair, of two 
pages ; but it grew larger, like you, as it grew old- 
er, and it lived till 1776. In 1719, another news- 
paper was printed in Boston, called the " Boston Ga- 
zette ;" and about the same time, Andrew Bradford, 
the son of William, established the first newspaper 
in Philadelphia, and called it the " American Week- 
ly Mercury." 

Wm. And none yet in New York ? 

Un. Not yet. The next newspaper was estab- 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 37 

lished in Boston, in 1721* — three, before our folks 
had one — this was called the " New England Cour- 
ant," and was printed by Franklin. 

Wm. Yes ! Benjamin ! 

Vn. No ; his elder brother, James, to whom Ben- 
jamin was an apprentice. Four years after, this Wil- 
liam Bradford, our old friend, began to publish a 
newspaper in New York, in 1725. 

Wm. At last. Well, I don't care, we have enough 
of them now. 

Vn. Perhaps too many. And yet that can hardly 
be, if conducted by honest men. 

Wm. Was this New York paper printed every 
day, sir ? 

Vn. No : only once a week. It was called " The 
New York Gazette." As to a daily paper, there 
was not one printed in New York until after the 
Revolution— and that reminds me, children, that it 
is about the revolutionary war that I was to tell you, 
and we are lagging sadly by the way. 

John. Not sadly, sir. And I am sure I shall un- 
derstand the better what you are going to tell us, for 
what you have been so good as to say to us. Shall 
I proceed with my recollections and memorandums 
of the history of our city, sir % 

Vn. Let us now walk to the Library, and look at 
the first newspaper printed in our country. It is al- 
ways best to examine a subject at the time when our 
minds are interested in it. To-morrow we will re- 
sume our history. 



CHAPTER IV. 

Vn. Now go on, John, Who succeeded Gov- 
ernor Fletcher"? 
4 



38 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

John. Lord Bellamont. Richard, Earl of Bella- 
mont. 

XJn. Did any remarkable person come with him? 

John. Yes ; he brought out his lieutenant-govern- 
or. I suppose, sir, he was afraid to trust a provin- 
cial. 

Tin. I see, boy, you understand me. He brought 
out John Nanfan as his lieutenant : governor, doubt- 
less that his Majesty's Council might be the more 
loyal, subservient, and profitable. What do you 
remember of Lord Bellamont? 

John. He apprehended Kidd, the pirate. 

XJn. Before we go into the story of Kidd, I will 
mention some things that appertain to this time and 
to New York. When the city had grown so great as 
to burst the bounds of the palisaded wall, (which was 
situated where Wall street is now built,) the houses 
began to be erected over a marsh, on the East river 
side, from the Half Moon, a little fort at the termina- 
tion of the palisades, to the site of the present Fulton 
market. This marsh was bounded on the west by the 
high ground of Golden Hill, and was called the Vly, 
being an abbreviation of valley ; and from its owner 
it was denominated Smees Vly, soon changed by the 
English into "Smith's Fly." Now, during Lord 
Bellamont's government, the Magde Padje, or 
" Maiden Lane," which commenced on the high 
ground, or " at the Broadway," was continued 
through the Yly, and a " slip" formed, which was 
called the " Countess's Slip," in compliment to the 
governor's lady, the Countess of Bellamont. . At 
this slip, was afterward placed the Fly Market. We 
must remember, too, in connexion with this period 
of our history, some circumstances which influ- 
enced the feelings and opinions of the people then, 
and for years before, and after. Our highly distin- 
guished fellow-citizen, Guiian Cromline Verplanck 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 39 

(a name that appears in the early records of New 
York with honour) has truly remarked, that it was 
between 1682 and 1688 that William Penn estab- 
lished a refuge for the oppressed in Pennsylvania, 
and Louis the Fourteenth (Penn's contrast in all 
things) drove 300,000 protestant families from 
France, many of whom took refuge in New York, 
" and brought with them a most valuable accession 
of intelligence, knowledge, and enterprise." 

John. We cannot wonder that the people of that 
time had a dread of the influence of popery. 

Wm. Where was Golden Hill, sir % 

TJn. The Gouden Bergh,. as the Dutch called it, 
is now only remembered by Gold street ; but " Cliff 
street" retains the name of Dirk Van cler Cliff; and 
"John street," a part of which was called " Golden 
Hill," has still its original denomination, derived 
from John Harpendingh, who gave to the Dutch, 
congregation the ground on which the North church 
is built, and wiiose escutcheon is there preserved. 
Now, John, what of Kidd the pirate ? 

John. Lord Bellamont with certain others fitted 
Dut a vessel in England to take the pirates of New 
York, and they ordered Captain Kidd to do it. 

Un. The intention of equipping this vessel was 
not to seek pirates in New York alone, but to 
suppress piracy in the East Indies and elsewhere ; 
md Col. Livingston, of New York, being in Eng- 
land, recommended William Kidd, as a good and 
sold seaman ; consequently, a fine ship was fitted 
Dut in England, and Kidd came here to get his 
full complement of men. He then sailed to the 
Red Sea and Indian Ocean, and instead of put- 
:ing down the sea robbers, turned pirate himself. 
He returned to America, was supposed to be very 
rich, and was seized at Boston by Lord Bellamont, and 
sent with seven of his crew to England, where they 



40 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

were tried, condemned, and hanged. As he did not 
use his treasures to save his life, it was supposed 
that he buried them in America, and the whole 
coast, with the islands, and even many parts of the 
interior, have been dug for Kidd's money, by those 
who were too idle to dig- for potatoes. 

John. But they found none, sir. 

Un. It is strange that men should rather labour 
in hope of hidden treasure, than with the certainty 
of the reward which agricultural industry ensures. 
Yet it is said that a pot containing 1 800 dollars, 
in Spanish pieces of eight, was found upon the place 
called Martha's Vineyard, not two years ago, by a 
person who was ploughing his cornfield. Kidd is 
supposed to have frequented all the coast and bays as 
you enter Long Island Sound from the east. Tra- 
dition says, that " Sachem's head" and the Thimble 
islands were his favourite haunts; places at that 
time little known. 

Wm. Where is Sachem's head, sir? I suppose 
it was called by that name in memory of some In- 
dian king. 

Un. It was ; and perhaps from some fanciful re- 
semblance to the head of an Indian chief. It is a 
rocky peninsula, jutting from Long Island into the 
Sound, near the town of Guilford. Stories of Kidd, 
his piracies, murders, and treasures, abound in this 
region ; and many believe that " lots of gold" have 
been found, and may yet be found, about Sachem's 
head and the Thimble islands. These rocky islets 
are in the Sound, and near the above named penin- 
sula. One of them is called Kidd's Island ; this is 
the largest of the group ; and here is a cave, where, 
it is said, the pirates used to sleep. This place is 
now visited by the curious, who look upon the ini- 
tials, R. K., which are cut on the face of the rock 
within the cave, as undoubted testimonials that this 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 41 

was the private hiding place, and the letters the sign 
manual of Robert Kidd. 

John. But, sir, this pirate's name was William. 

Tin. Ah, that's unfortunate: for I think it would 
be hard to make R stand for William. However, 
there are two ways of getting over that difficulty : one 
is by asserting that there were two brothers, and both 
pirates ; and the other, that the noted Kidd some- 
times called himself William and sometimes Rob- 
ert — that he lived Robert, and was hanged at Exe- 
cution Dock as William. But there are other 
testimonials in this wonderful cave, proving that it 
was the resort of this famous robber. A hole in 
the rocky floor of the place is supposed to have been 
chiselled out with great labour by him and his men. 
It is capable of containing a barrel of liquid ; and 
this is " Kidd's punch bowl;" a flat stone is called 
his table; and, doubtless, his bedstead and easy 
chair may be seen. Another of these little islets is 
called " Money Island." This has been dug up 
most industriously, but I never heard of any har- 
vest resulting from the labour. 

John. There must have been several piratical 
vessels committing robberies along the American 
coast, sir ; for I have read of Blackbeard, and the 
people called bucaniers. 

tin. Yes, piracies were very frequent at this pe- 
riod ; and those miscreants who prowled along the 
coast of South America, and swept our shores, from 
the gulf of St. Lawrence to that of Mexico, occa- 
sionally ran into the ports of Boston, Newport, and 
New York. In the latter place, it is said, they had 
sometimes appeared openly, and there is good rea- 
son to believe that they were countenanced by Gov- 
ernor Fletcher. 

John. A governor of New York encourage pi» 
rates ! 

4* 



4* HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

Un. A king's governor, not a governor chosen 
by the people ; and at a period when New York 
was a very insignificant place, and the colonists only 
valued for the profit to be made from them. Ni- 
chols, one of Fletcher's Council, (called his Ma- 
jesty's Council,) has the honour of being handed 
down to us, by tradition, as the agent for the pirates ; 
paid by them to further their views, and occasion- 
ally to stand between them and those they had in- 
jured. The English government tardily gave ear 
to the complaints made of the piratical depredations 
both in America and the East Indies, and when 
Lord Bellamont was appointed governor, he was in- 
structed to remedy the evil. It happened that Col. 
Livingston, of New York, saw Bellamont in Lon- 
don, where Kidcl then was, who had previously dis- 
tinguished himself, as a privateer's man against the 
French in the West Indies. Livingston recommended 
him as a fit man to cruise against the pirates of the 
east and west. A number of noblemen and gentle- 
men subscribed to fit out a gallant vessel, and called 
her the Adventure Galley. Bellamont and Living- 
ston were partners, and Kidd had five shares. He 
came to New York and shipped men for his cruise, 
being commissioned against the French, and against 
pirates ; but, as we have seen, he turned pirate him- 
self. We have no certain knowledge of his rob- 
beries on the American coast, but he was convicted 
of many acts of piracy, and of aiding other pirates, 
in the east. On his return to America, he is said to 
have plundered along the Spanish coast, and pass- 
ing New York, he ran into the Sound, and landed 
on Gardiner's Island ; where he buried a portion of 
his w r ealth, making Mr. Gardiner a confidant of the 
place of deposite, with promises of reward for the 
safe keeping, and threats of vengeance if unfaithful. 
It is to be presumed that Gardiner supposed the 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 43 

treasure to be the legal spoils of successful warfare. 
It appears that Kidd then went to Boston, and Bel- 
lamont there met him in the dress of a landsman 
and gentleman. As he could give no good account 
of the Adventure Galley, of which Bellamont was 
part owner, and moreover Kidd having been heard of 
as a pirate, the governor made him prisoner, and pro- 
cured as much of his plunder as he could. The 
deposite on Gardiner's Island was discovered, and 
surrendered to Bellamont. A schedule of the gold 
and jewels is in the hands of the heirs of Mr. Gardi- 
ner to this day. Now, go on with our history. 

John. Lord Bellamont died, and left Nanfan gov- 
ernor ; but another soon came. 

Tin. Yes ; there was always some poor nobleman, 
or minister's tool, ready to catch the office ; and now 
King William sent Lord Cornbury (who couldn't 
pay his creditors in London) to fatten upon the peo- 
ple of New York, because he was son to Lord 
Clarendon. When Queen Anne succeeded to the 
throne, she continued him, and gave him likewise 
the government of New Jersey. His conduct was 
so unjust, and his rapacity so great, that the assem- 
bly of New Jersey sent a complaint to the queen 
against him. 

John. Yes, sir ; and she took the government of 
both provinces from him, and then the people of 
New York put him in jail, to make him pay his 
debts. And then out comes another lord, as I re- 
member, to be governor, and his name was a fine 
one for a lord — Lord Lovelace — but he died very 
soon, and left Mr. Ingoldsby, who once before was 
governor for a little while, to be the ruler ; and by 
this time there was war again. I can't think why 
the people of New York had so many wars ! 

Un. Truly, boy, the surprise is natural. But 
these were not wars on their own account, or quar- 



44 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

rels entered into by them ; but as they were subjects 
of England, whenever the government that was so 
kind as to send them governors, and other officers, 
to live upon and despise them — whenever the king, 
or the queen, or the ministry, declared war against 
any nation, that nation was ready to rob the colo- 
nists. So, the people of England thought they 
might rob the colonies by taxing them without their 
consent, because they belonged to England, and 
were called ; 'his majesty's plantations;" and the 
enemies of England robbed and murdered them for 
the same reason — because they belonged to the 
English. The French being the government that 
was generally in quarrel with England, on such oc- 
casions, vexed the people of New York, from their 
possessions in Canada; and now, as at other times, 
the colonies wished to take that country from the 
French : but all their efforts failed, until, as you re- 
member — 

Phil. O yes ! General Wolfe took Quebec ! 

John. Mr. Ingoldsby was superseded, long before 
Wolfe's victory, by Col. Hunter; and during his time 
Queen Anne sent out forces to conquer Canada, and 
they were joined by troops from New York and 
New Jersey; and Col. Peter Schuyler, (who had 
been to England, and carried some of his Indians to 
show there,) he, too, was ready ; but the fleet from 
England was wrecked in the river St. Lawrence, 
and all this preparation went for nothing. 

Phil. Uncle Philip said worse than nothing; and 
I think so, too. 

U?i. Well, peace being again made between the 
European powers, the poor colonists who had noth- 
ing to do with their quarrels, but every thing to suf- 
fer, were left for a while at rest. This peace of 1713 
was made at Utrecht, and called by that name. 
Soon after, Q,ueen Anne died, and the Elector of Han- 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 45 

over was called from Germany to be king over a 
people whose language he could scarcely speak or 
understand. 

Wm. Uncle, why, if the English would have a 
king, did they not make a good Englishman king ? 

Un. My boy, if I was to attempt to give the rea- 
sons assigned, I should fatigue myself and you, 
without, perhaps, making myself understood ; there- 
fore we will wait some years for such questions, and 
push on. 

Wm. Ay. Go ahead, John 

John. Governor Hunter left New York, and left 
many friends; and Col. Schuyler ruled until Gov- 
ernor Burnet came out. He, Uncle Philip said, 
was one of the best of the governors, and did much 
to secure New York from the French of Canada. 
In his time, Oswego was begun, and a fort built; 
but then the French built another at Niagara, and 
the people were not satisfied, I think. 

Un. No. The governor contended for a salary 
independent of the assembly, and the assembly very 
wisely chose to keep the strings of their own purse 
in their own hands; and so, as John says, Governor 
Burnet went to rule in Massachusetts, and there the 
same difficulties occurred. Do you remember any 
event of great consequence to America that happen- 
ed before Governor Burnet left New York. 

John. No, sir. 

Un. Well, then, I will tell you. The second 
American Congress met at Albany. 

Phil. O, you mistake, Uncle, we had no con- 
gress then. 

Un. These early congresses were gentlemen 
sent from the different provinces, to meet and consult 
upon measures for the benefit of the whole. The 
first took place so long ago as 1643, to contrive 
means of defence against the Indians; but in 1722 



46 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

a more general congress met at Albany, not in op- 
position to the king, (for many of the gentlemen 
were the king's governors,) but what made these 
meetings of great importance, was, that the colonists 
learned how to unite in council, for their own good, 
by sending deputies to some one place for delibera- 
tion ; and we shall see that, by and by, this practice 
caused that union of the colonies, under the recom- 
mendations of the Continental Congress, which en- 
abled them to resist the power of England, when 
she attempted to enforce her unjust laws on the coun- 
try. I only mention this, children, now, that you 
may see how easily the people fell into that way of 
governing themselves when it became necessary to 
throw off the authority of the king's governors. 
Well, John, what king's-governor succeeded Mr. 
Burnet ? 

John. Mr. John Montgomerie, sir. He came in 
1728, and died two years after; and Mr. Van Dam, 
who was president of the council, became the ruler 
of the colony. About this time the French govern- 
or of Canada built a fort at Crown Point. See, 
Mary, on the map; here, at Lake Champlain. 

Vn. The French w r ere gradually extending a 
line, or chain, of forts, from the river St. Lawrence 
to the Mississippi ; and if they had not been broken 
up by the success of the English, assisted by the peo- 
ple of the provinces, all that part of the United States, 
which you see there on the map, (the greater part 
of the states of New York, Pennsylvania, and Vir- 
ginia,) with all the w r estern states to the great South 
Sea, would have belonged to the French, for any 
thing we can now know. This fort at Crown Point 
was one link in the chain. Go on, John. 

John. Mr. William Crosby came out as governor 
and that ended Mr. Van Dam's rule. 

Tin. Cosby, not Crosby. 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 47 

John. Uncle Philip said Crosby. 

Un. He made a mistake. This man, whose name 
is infamous in our history, had no connexion with the 
name of Crosby, by which many of our respectable 
citizens are designated. Cosby not only caused tur- 
moils during his administration, but, at his death, in 
1736, left a fruitful cause of mischief. For although 
the government properly devolved on Mr. Van Dam, 
(the man whom the people wished to rule over 
them,) Cosby, as if on purpose to do evil, even after 
death, arbitrarily suspended, or removed, Mr. Van 
Dam from the council, and left as the president of 
that body an Englishman like himself, of the name 
of Clarke. 

John. Yes, sir ; but Mr. Van Dam, the American, 
did not give it up so ! 

Un. No. He considered the act of Cosby, in sus- 
pending him, as illegal ; and he would not submit 
to Clarke, who was supported by the aristocratick or 
English party. 

Phil. But the old Dutch and Americans were on 
Van Dam's side. 

Un. Yes ; and they would have supported him, al- 
though Clarke threatened to resort to arms. How- 
ever, they did not get so far as in Leisler's time, for 
despatches came from their master, King George 
the Second, which decided the affair in favour of 
the Englishman, and Van Dam and the people sub- 
mitted. But before we leave Mr. Cosby, I will tell 
you one story about him and his wife. 

Mary. I wish, Uncle, you would tell us more 
stories. 

Phil. About Indians. 

Wm. About war. 

Un. By and by. But this is about a wedding. 
In the year 1732, a lord arrived at New York ; and 
our people, even the democrats, seemed to have a 



48 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

wonderful propensity to worship the lords of this 
earth. This was a young man with a fine name, 
such as we read of in novels ; he was called the Lord 
Augustus Fitzroy, and was son to his grace, the 
Duke of Grafton. What does the mayor, and re- 
corder, and common council, on being told that the 
Lord Augustus Fitzroy had come, and was with 
Governor Cosby at the fort, but they all waited upon 
the lord, " in a full body," and the recorder made 
him a speech, and thanked him for the honour of 
his presence, and presented him with the freedom of 
the city in a gold box. 

Phil. What good did that do him % 

John. Then he was free to trade with the Indians, 
or to make shoes and sell them. 

Un. Even you, children as you are, laugh at this 
now ; but then, the grave men of our city played 
such fantastick tricks; and they were honoured by a 
gracious speech from the Lord Augustus Fitzroy, 
who in secret laughed at them. 

Mary. But, Uncle, tell us of the wedding. 
Un. You must know, Mrs. Cosby, the governor's 
wife, had some young lady daughters; and she find- 
ing that the Lord Augustus was a foolish young 
man, not much more than a great lubberly boy, con- 
trived to make up a match between him and Miss 
Cosby. Cosby, who was in the plot, knew it would 
be offensive to the boy's family, and pretended igno- 
rance of the scheme. So, it was contrived, that a 
parson was introduced over the fort walls, and the 
managing mother had the young folks married as 
if by stealth. Such were the great folks sent by 
King George to govern the good people of New 
York. Cosby died, as we have seen, and Mrs. 
Cosby with her lady daughter went home, where 
the lord's father, his grace the duke, and all his 
family, disowned the daughter from New York, 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 49 

and, as is generally the case, the reward of duplicity- 
was disgrace. But although Cosby' s rule was evil, 
some good came out of it. The first free school in 
New York was established during his reign. Only 
think, my children, now we have so many in the 
city, and all over the state. 

Mary. How funny it must have been for the cler- 
gyman to climb over the wall ! I think he could not 
have been like one of our clergyman, or he would 
not have done it. 

Un. True, my good girl. 

John. So many schools, colleges, books, newspa- 
pers ! Uncle, we ought to be better now than the 
people were formerly. 

tin. So we are, boy. 

John. Yet people talk of the good old times. 

Un. I think they speak unadvisedly, my son. 

John. I dare say, sir, that you are right ; yet I 
read and hear of a great many very bad people and 
wicked actions. 

Un. I believe that there were more, in propor- 
tion to the number of the people, then than now. 
More bad actions and fewer good. Pirates roamed 
the ocean, and were received in the seaports, and 
entertained by those who profited by them. Slave 
ships were fitted out publicly, with chains and hand- 
cuffs to bring the people of Africa to our markets ; 
where, those who did not die on the passage, in con- 
sequence of the horrid and pestilential air engen- 
dered in the dungeons in which they were packed 
together, or who were not thrown overboard alive, 
if infected with a contagious disease, were openly 
sold like cattle on board the ships that brought them, 
or at auction in Wall street. To encourage by pur- 
chasing, or to avow the practice of this legalized 
murder by advertising for sale, does not appear to 
have been thought criminal by the most pious and 
5 



50 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

virtuous people, a few called Quakers only except- 
ed. Even the Indians, the aboriginal lords of the 
soil, were in many instances reduced to a state of 
slavery ; and the poor ignorant savages enticed to 
drunkenness by civilized and Christian men, were 
induced to sell their children for rum. The crime 
of drunkenness was more prevalent than now. I 
think that any one who reads the advertisements in 
the newspapers — who sees the reward's offered for 
runaways, white, red, or black ; English, Scotch, 
Irish, Indian, and negro ; who sees the slave de- 
scribed as having the initials of his master's name 
branded, that is, children, burnt, on his breast or shoul- 
der ; any one who recollects that criminals, even 
women, were whipped, on the bare body at the 
" cart's tail," through the streets, and that negroes 
were frequently burnt alive; will be convinced that 
there is an improvement in the manners and feelings 
of the people, and, of course, that they are better. 
But I tire you, children. 

John. Not me, sir. But, sir, surely the first set- 
tlers of our country were good men. 

Tin. Many, my boy; and many continued to cher- 
ish the love of liberty, virtue, and true religion; but 
the mother country, from whose intolerance and 
bad government they had sought a refuge, still 
claimed them as her own. In vain did the wiser 
among the colonists protest against having slaves 
sent among them, and evince their repugnance to 
receiving the felons who were reprieved from the 
gallows, and sent " to people his majesty's planta- 
tions." We see the authentick record of thousands 
sent from the jails of London, and Dublin, and other 
towns, to ships appointed by the English govern- 
ment to bear them to " his majesty's plantations in 
America," and frequently they were mingled in the 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 51 

same ship with the poor who came voluntarily to 
this country as redemption ers. 

John. Redemptioners ! What's that ? 

Un. They were poor people, who, to better their 
condition, agreed with ship captains, or ship own- 
ers, to be sold for a certain number of years, instead 
of paying for their passages. Such people, if hon- 
est, might be corrupted by being shut up for weeks 
in the same place with the felons from the jails. O, 
I could tell you some curious stories connected with 
this practice. 

Mary. O do, Uncle ! 

Un. To pay you for remembering so much, I 
will tell you a story. 

Mary. A true story, Uncle ? 

Un. To the best of my knowledge and belief, 
Mary. It runs thus : A captain of a brig carried a 
cargo of rum to Dublin, and having sold the poison, 
(probably enough to fill half the jails of the city 
with criminals,) he received by contract with the 
magistrates, a great number of the wretches al- 
ready condemned for crimes, from the jails and dun- 
geons, to poison " his majesty's plantations in North 
America." 

Mary. Poison, sir? 

Un. Moral poison. 

John. I understand you, sir. The rum poisoned 
the Irish people by making them drunkards, and 
keeping them poor ; and the Irish criminals poison- 
ed the colonies by the vices they brought with them. 

Un. Just so, boy. With these criminals from the 
jails, this West India captain, who was a planter in 
Barbadoes, received in his vessel a number of poor 
people, who were to be sold, as I explained to you, 
for their passage. The brig was bound to Maryland. 
On the voyage, the felons corrupted the honest pas- 
sengers, persuading them it would be better that they 



52 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

should make themselves free by seizing on the vessel, 
and landing in the country without being sold as ser- 
vants. To do this, they must murder the captain, 
and such of the crew as would not join them. So 
completely had the poor passengers become crimi- 
nals, by being mingled with criminals, that they 
agreed to this dreadful proposal, and it was carried 
into execution. The rum-dealing captain and most 
of his sailors were murdered, and the murderers 
ran the brig on shore upon the coast of Nova Sco- 
tia, and then separated, each to secure himself, or 
herself, with such spoil from the wreck as he or she 
could carry off Among the criminals was a wo- 
man, who had the remains of beauty, and the ad- 
vantage of an education superiour to the rest. She 
had been one of the unfortunate females who are 
seduced from the paths of virtue, by those who are 
called gentlemen ; and being abandoned, as usual, 
had sunk to such practices as reduced her to the 
fate and company of this crew of murderers. She 
had had address enough to gain from the captain 
his history, and an account of his estate or planta- 
tion in Barbadoes ; and on being found alone in the 
woods of Nova Scotia, she said she was Mrs. John- 
son, the wife of the captain of the brig: told a la- 
mentable tale of the murder of her husband, and of 
her own sufferings, and excited the compassion of 
those who found her, to such a degree, that she 
was carried, with all the tenderness due to one in 
the situation she described, to Annapolis Royal, 
and introduced to the governor. Her appearance, 
her address, and her story, gained her the confidence 
of the governor and principal inhabitants. She told 
them, that on arriving at Barbadoes, she should take 
possession of her late husband's plantations, and 
that she would repay, with thanks, the kindness, and 
with money or produce the sums now loaned her. 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 53 

To return to Barbadoes, it was necessary to go to 
New York, and, if no passage offered to the West 
Indies, to London. The governor procured her a 
passage to our city, and supplied her amply with 
money. She arrived safe here, and sailed for Lon- 
don, where, amidst the profligates of that great city, 
she disappeared, and was no more heard of. 

Wm. She would take care not to go to Dublin, 
sir. 

Tin. Probably she remained in London. In that 
great city, she might escape any- search. 

John. It appears that the wicked triumphed in 
this story; and the good were deceived and injured. 

Un. It may often so appear, my son ; but we do 
not see the reality, or know the end of the wicked. 
This planter and navigator, who was willing to 
traffick in poison, found his own death in the trade 
of destruction. The good people of Annapolis 
Royal had the consolation of upright intention. The 
erring woman most probably, unless she repented, 
ended a life of crime by a death of misery. 
5* 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK 




CHAPTER V. 

Tin. Well, my good children, we will now go on 
with our history of New York, after you have look- 
ed at the picture of old Governor Stuy vesant's house ; 
which, according to my promise, I now show you. 

Mary. Tell us another story, Uncle, about old 
times. 

Tin. If I tell you stories, we shall never get 
through : but John will tell us, by and by, what he 
remembers of the negro plot, which is as extraordi- 
nary an event as any true or invented story I ever 
heard. When did that happen, John? 

John, In 1741, sir, and during Governor Clarke's 
rei^n. 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 55. 

Un. A number of people were committed to jail 
as incendiaries, kept in dungeons for some months, 
(amidst the crowd of people confined upon suspi- 
cion, or upon the accusations of Mary Burton and 
others who thought to thrive by turning accusers,) 
and finally condemned to be hanged. 
John. Can this be true, sir ? 

Un. We could scarcely have believed it, if one 
of the magistrates of the time had not recorded it. 
Mr. Horsemanden, the Recorder of the city, says, 
many people had such terrible apprehensions on 
the subject that several negroes, some of whom had 
assisted to put out the fires, were, when met in the 
streets, hurried away to prison ; and when once 
there, they were continued in confinement because 
the magistrates could not spare time to examine 
them. Peggy Carey, finding that Mary Burton 
was to be rewarded, turned informer too ; and ac- 
cused whoever she wished ill to, or whoever she 
thought it would please the magistracy to accuse 
as a conspirator ; but Peggy was too late, she could 
not save herself; and with Hughson, and his wife, 
she was hanged. But before the executions took 
place, the jail was crowded so full as to produce 
fears of another kind in the people : they were 
alarmed at the thought of pestilence; for the re- 
ceivers of stolen goods, the thieves, and the sup- 
posed conspirators ; whites, Indian slaves, negroes, 
(English-bred, Dutch, and Spanish,) were all crowd- 
ed together, in the same building where the com- 
mon council, magistrates, judges, and lawyers, met 
every day to receive information, examine and con- 
demn. The fear of a jail-fever did not drive off the 
fear of conspirators, but it hastened the executions 
by way of making room in the dungeons. 

Wm. I remember the jail, which is now a very 
handsome building, and called the Record office. 



50 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

Un. That jail was not built in 1741. At the time 
we speak of, the only jail was in the lower part of the 
old city hall, in Wall street, where the custom house 
now stands ; or rather where part of the custom 
house stands, for that building covers more ground 
than ten city halls of the time we are speaking of. 

John. Was this the old Dutch city hall ? 

Un. No. It was the first city hall built by the 
English; and continued in the state I now describe 
until the adoption of the Federal Constitution, when 
it was very much enlarged and remodelled for the 
reception of the first congress under the present sys- 
tem of government. 

Wm. Had the Dutch a city hall, Uncle ? 

Un. They had : but it was called the Stadt Huys 
by them. It was built in 1637. 

Wm. In Wall street % 

Un. O no. Wall street was then (as you ought 
to remember) the line of the city wall or palisade, 
with gates that were locked every evening at the set- 
ting of the watch, when the bell rung ; and opened 
again at daylight. The first city hall or stadt 
huys was at the head of Coenties' slip, and in what 
was called Dock street, now forming a part of Pearl 
street. Here is a picture of it. \ 

Wm. Thank you, sir. I should like to know 
when this old Dutch city hall was destroyed, and 
the first English city hall in Wall street built. : 

Un. If you will read this memorandum, made 
from the records of the corporation, (begun in the 
old stadt huys, and continued in the second city hall,) 
you will know all that is now to be learned on the 
subject. 

Wm. " On the 25th day of May, 1699, Johannes 
Depeyster, being mayor, James Graham, recorder, 
Messrs. Boelen, Lewis, Walters, Wenham, and 
Cortlandt, aldermen, present. The board taking 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 



57 




into consideration the necessity of building a new 
citty hall, doo unanimously resolve, (Alderman Cort- 
landt only dissenting,) that a new citty hall shall be 
built with all convenient expedition, and that the 
same be erected and built at the upper end of the 
Broad street within the said citty." It was further 
resolved, that "the materials of the old citty hall be 
exposed to sayle, and the ground, belonging to the 
same be lett to farme for the terme of ninety-nine 
years." Thus while deliberating in this old stadt 
kuys, they decree its destruction, and the erection 
of a greater one in Wall street, fronting Broad 
street. 

Wm. "And on the 17th of August following, the 
old stadt huys, or city hall, was exposed to sale, by 
public outer]/, 11 " with all and singular the appurten- 
ances belonging thereunto, (the bell, king's arms, 
and iron works belonging to the prison excepted.)" 
"The cage, pillory, and stocks, standing before tho 



58 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

same," were ordered to be removed within twelve 
months, and the slip to remain for ever for the use 
of the city. The corporation however reserved for 
one month the use of the jail within the old house; 
and on these conditions, John Rodman, merchant, 
bought it, with the ground and appurtenances. On 
the 16th of October, 1699, the corporation (David 
Provoost, being mayor) ordered an estimate to be 
made of materials for the intended city hall, in Wall 
street ; and that the same committee view " the 
block house, by the governor's garden," to know if 
it will answer for a prison. On the 1st November, 
following, the estimate of materials was reported as 
above ordered. It was 11501. 18s. 3d.; and it was 
ordered that the materials be furnished before the 
25th of March, 1700 ; and that the money for build- 
ing the new city hall be raised before that day. On 
the 16th day of January, 1700, a committee was 
appointed to superintend the building of the new 
hall. On the 2d of November, 1700, ordered, » that 
the common council sit at the city hall, on the last 
Saturday in every month ;" therefore I conclude that 
the new city hall, in Wall street, was ready for their 
reception ; the old stadt huys having been long be- 
fore taken down." 

Tin. Now I resume my story. 

John. I wish, sir, that you would be as particu- 
lar about this negro plot as is agreeable to you; 
I tried to read the book, although I could not un- 
derstand it : I thought that all the negroes and 
others who were hanged and burnt must have been 
very wicked, though I could not believe that they 
deserved such cruel treatment. 

JJn. I will endeavour to give you a clear notion 
cf this affair, at least as I understand it according to 
the representation of Mr. Horsemanden himself; al- 
ways remembering that he must have felt interested 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 59 

in justifying proceedings in which he was an actor ; 
for, my children, we are prone to the excusing of 
ourselves for acts which we are afraid may appear 
wrong in the eyes of others ; and the greater our 
doubts of the propriety of our conduct may be, the 
more strenuous we are in our endeavours to con- 
vince ourselves, and others, that we were right. 

Wm. But, sir, the negroes confessed that they 
intended to set fire to the city, and murder the peo- 
ple. 

Tin. Listen, and I will endeavour to explain. 
Many of these poor ignorant creatures were taken 
up on suspicion, and, as I have said, crowded to- 
gether, when the weather was very hot, in dungeons; 
they suffered terribly, and believed that they were 
to be burned, or at least hanged. They heard the 
accusations against them. They saw the conster- 
nation of the inhabitants ; which was such, that the 
people removed their furniture and sought safety in 
flight from the city ; giving any price for carts, 
wagons, or boats ; and for labourers to assist them 
in their flight. This confusion gave an opportu- 
nity for thieves to plunder ; and all robbery was 
charged upon the negroes and their accomplices. 
The magistrates ordered that each alderman, as- 
sistant, and constable, should make search in his 
ward for strangers ; and the militia was turned out 
under arms, and sentries were posted at every avenue. 

Phil. Why, Uncle, this was as bad as Major 
Drum. 

JJn. It produced the same kind of effect, but in a 
greater degree. When the inhabitants saw and 
heard all this — the militia paraded — the aldermen 
and constables searching for incendiaries — the ne- 
groes seized and hurried to jail, and the justices sit- 
ting day after day to examine the prisoners ; how could 
they but think that they were in imminent danger ? 



60 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

Every black face and every strange visage appeared 
as that of an enemy; and it was in vain the negroes 
protested that they knew nothing of any plot. Mary 
Burton, who had been promised money and her lib- 
erty for her discovery of a plot, said there was one ; 
and the magistrates said the same. No strangers or 
suspicious persons were discovered when the great 
search was made ; but one alderman found in the 
possession of Robin, the negro of Mr. Chambers, 
and in possession of Cuba, his wife, "some things," 
says the recorder, " which he thought unbecoming 
the condition of a slave:" that is, too good for such 
people, " and he committed" Robin and his wife to 
jail. 

Wm. All this is very strange, sir. 

Vn. You must bear in mind, that it had been 
proved that robberies had been committed by some 
negroes, and that some white men were concerned 
with them ; receiving the stolen goods and encour- 
aging them to steal ; and that slaves were from their 
very condition liable to temptation, and without the 
safeguards possessed by other men. 

John. What do you mean, sir ? 

Tin. I mean that not being capable by law of 
holding property, they were tempted to purloin that 
of their masters ; and having no hope of better con- 
dition, they were without the incitements to well- 
doing which freemen possess ; they knew they were 
suspected of thieving, and of secretly meeting to- 
gether. Their masters suspected them of evil de- 
signs ; and the affair at Hughson's — the fires — and 
some discoveries of the blacks having secret meet- 
ings, convinced the people while in this state of pan- 
ick, that all the negroes had conspired to burn the 
town, and murder the inhabitants. 

Wm. Go on with the story, if you please, sir. 

Vn. While the trials of Ilughson and his wife 



HISTORV OF NEW YORK. 61 

were in progress for the receiving stolen goods, 
and the conviction and execution of several of the 
negroes took place, proclamations were made, offer- 
ing pardons to the free who should make discove- 
ry of the plot, or accuse others ; and pardon and 
liberty to the slaves who should do the same ; and 
rewards in money to both. The consequence was, 
that the negroes who were in jail accused them- 
selves, and others, hoping to save their own lives, 
and obtain the promised boons. What one poor 
wretch invented, was heard and repeated by ano- 
ther ; and by degrees the story assumed the shape 
of a regular plot, instigated by Hughson and his 
wife, joined in by their daughter and the depraved 
Peggy Carey, with a multitude of negroes, until 
the historian exclaims : " This evidence of a con- 
spiracy, not only to burn the city, but also to destroy 
and murder the people, was most astonishing to the 
grand jury." They were astonished that the 
blacks should be so wicked, but " that any white 
people should confederate with slaves," was, as he 
says, " very amazing." The only whites accused 
by Mary Burton, (the principal and, for a time, the 
only witness,) were the Hughsons; but by and by 
she implicated others, and, as I said, a schoolmaster, 
by the name of Ury, who was an English clergy- 
man, and had left his country in consequence of 
persecution, he having refused the oaths required by 
the government. 

John. Such were called non-jurors. 

Un. Right. It appeared by witnesses, irreproach- 
able, and by this poor man's diary, that he had 
taught school in Pennsylvania, and New Jersey; 
that he came to New York and was employed to 
teach ; and finally entered into a partnership with 
another schoolmaster, one Campbell ; and they hired 
the house which Hughson and wife had been re- 
6 



62 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

moved from, when accused of receiving 1 stolen 
goods, but found the daughter there, and they re- 
proved her for her profanity. She was a witness 
against him. It appears to me, that the magistrates 
were ashamed of the accusation of conspiracy with 
the negroes, and they therefore added one of pope- 
ry; which, at that time, was a capital crime in a 
priest of the Roman Catholick religion, if found in 
the province. 

Wm. I cant understand, sir. 

Un. The history of England, of that time, will 
explain it to you. I must finish the story of poor 
John Ury. The pretence that he conspired with 
negroes to burn the town Avas so absurd, that even 
the panick-struck court and jury could not have ad- 
mitted it; but a person was found who testified that 
he made a kind of a desk for Ury, which was con- 
strued into being an altar ; and another person 
swore that he had applied to him to make wafers ; 
supposed to be such as Romish priests use. At 
this time England, and of course the colonies, 
were involved in war with Spain ; and the people 
believed that Romish priests and Jesuits were sent 
to America for the purpose of instigating the slaves 
to revolt and murder: in short, the court and^jury 
were convinced that Ury was a Romish priest, and 
worthy of death, upon testimony that none but peo- 
ple frantick with fear would have listened to. 

John. What was it, sir ? 

Un. I must first mention that one Kane, a sol- 
dier, of the most loathsome character, had (in the 
course of the trials) given testimony on oath, that 
he had seen negroes sworn to burn the town ; and 
described the ceremony as taking place at Hugh- 
son's tavern : the negroes being placed on a circle, 
made with chalk, and mother Hughson standing in 
the centre, with a punch bowl, and administering 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 63 

the oath. Xhis absurd fable was a hint for Hugh- 
son's wretched daughter ; and she described Ury 
as making a circle on the floor with chalk, placing 
the negroes on the chalk, and standing in the mid- 
dle with a crucifix, instead of a punch bowl ; and 
baptizing and swearing them. This must have been 
too palpably absurd ; but lo ! Elias Desbrosses, a 
confectioner, deposed, that Ury came to his shop, 
with one Webb, a carpenter, and wanted sugar bits, 
or wafers : and asked him, " Whether a minister 
had not his wafers of him % or, whether that paste, 
which the deponent showed, was not made of the 
same ingredients as the Lutheran minister's?" "or, 
something to that purpose." And he told Ury that, 
if he wanted such things, a joiner could make him 
a mould ; and asked him, " if he had a congrega- 
tion ; but Ury waived giving him an answer." 
Webb, the carpenter, who accompanied Ury to the 
confectioner's, was examined, and his whole testi- 
mony amounted to Ury having told him that he 
had written a book, in England, which was called 
treason, although he did not mean it so ; and that 
a friend, a great man, got him off; that on reli- 
gious subjects, the carpenter could not " alio ays 
understand him ;" that, as to negroes he had a 
very despicable opinion of them ; and, that after 
Campbell removed to the house which Hughson 
had occupied, Ury went thither, and the deponent 
likewise went to the place three times, and heard 
Ury read prayers in the manner of the Church of 
England ; but in the prayer for the king he did not 
mention the name ; that, he preached against drunk- 
enness, debauchery, and deists; admonishing every 
one to keep to his own minister ; and that he said, 
"he only gave a word of admonition at the request 
of the family where he was." He has heard him 
say, that such and such a day, " was his sacrament 



64 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

day;" and thinks he has heard him say, "that he 
must administer the sacrament, but cannot be posi- 
tive." Upon such testimony, and that of the worth- 
less wretch, Sarah Hughson, whose story was ab- 
surdity itself, yet was believed; upon such testi- 
mony, (enforced by a letter to the governor, saying*, 
that the Spaniards were sending Jesuits disguised 
as schoolmasters and dancing-masters to cause re- 
volts among the negroes,) was Ury, after a masterly 
defence, (made by himself,) convicted, condemned, 
and hanged. 

Wm. Oh, Uncle ! could it be ? 

John. It is terrible to think of, sir. 

Phil. But they burnt the negroes ; tell us of that, 
sir. 

JJn. There were thirteen blacks burned alive — 
tied or chained to stakes, and thus tortured to death, 
while surrounded by a crowd of people calling, and 
believing, themselves Christians. Eighteen blacks 
were hanged ; seventy were transported to the West 
Indies, or other places ; Hughson, his wife, and 
Peggy Carey, were hanged. Several of the ne- 
groes declared that they had accused themselves 
and others, because they had been told that was the 
only way to save their lives. One poor wretch is 
described, " lifting up his [eg, 71 as he sat with his 
back to the stake, to which he was fast bound, and 
laying it down on the fire, as he lifted up his eyes 
and cried aloud on those who had advised him to 
confess that of which he knew nothing. But let 
us close this story of guilt, terrour, and horrour. 

Wm. What became of the vile woman who told 
so many falsehoods ? 

Un. She was rewarded by being made free, and 
comparatively rich ; for she received 81/., in Sep- 
tember, 1742, (having been all the time of the tri- 
als, from early in 1741, maintained by the magis- 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 65 

trates,) with 19/. previously paid, making in the 
whole, the 100/. reward promised. In this interval, 
from September, 1741, to the same month, 1742, 
alarms and accusations had occasionally occurred, 
and a little before the last mentioned period, the Re- 
corder, (Horsemanden, the historian of the plot,) 
charges the grand jury to search into all dram shops, 
tippling houses, &c. ; for "notwithstanding, great 
pains and industry (as it should seem) had been 
taken to bring the notion of a plot into contempt," 
he tells them he has no doubt but popish emissa- 
ries are at work " like moles in the dark," in the 
shape of dancing-masters, schoolmasters, physi- 
cians, and such-like, to accomplish the work of the 
devil." He therefore charges them that if they 
"find any such obscure persons," they shall present 
them to the court "to be apprehended and examined 
according to law." Such a charge is a specimen 
of the "good old time," that you so often hear of; 
and of the style, as well as mind, of Mr. Recorder 
Horsemanden. It appears further, that people be- 
gan to cry out against Mary Burton, and her testi- 
mony, and she on her part began to accuse people 
of some consequence in the city; this broke the 
spell ; the magistrates were afraid to permit accusa- 
tions which might affect even themselves; the search 
for conspirators ceased, and we hear no more of 
Mary Burton. 

John. Is it not very strange, sir, that a person 
should be thought to merit death, because he was a 
priest of the Roman Catholick faith? 

Un. It would now, my son, be not only strange, 
but criminal, abominable, and absurd. But at that 
time there was a cause in England which made it 
reasonable and perhaps right, that such a law should 
exist. Do you remember any thing more that 
happened during Governor Clarke's administration? 
6* 



66 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

John. Yes, sir. Mr. Clarke went up to Albany 
to negotiate with the Indians of the Five Nations 
for a tract of land, called Irondequot, somewhere near 
Oswego, but he was disappointed. And I remem- 
ber another of his acts : the French, you know, sir, 
had a fort at Crown Point, which commanded Lake 
Champlain, and it was said that they were about to 
build another at Wood creek ; and Mr. Clarke con- 
ceived a scheme to bring oveT a large body of Scotch 
highlanders, and to settle them as a kind of ad- 
vance-guard against the French encroachments. 

Un. The plan was a good one, but it is supposed 
that it was defeated by the Governor's mingling his 
own mercenary schemes with it. 

John. Yes, sir. He promised Mr. Campbell, 
who was their leader, thirty thousand acres of land, 
and upon this Mr. Campbell brought out eighty- 
three families at his own expense and sold his pro- 
perty in Scotland. When he arrived Clarke did 
not fulfil his engagement; the colonists were oblig- 
ed to shift for themselves, and Campbell could only 
purchase a farm, and become a cultivator in a 
strange and wild country. Many of these high- 
landers enlisted in the expeditions against Cuba and 
Carthagena. 

Un. And some of their descendants, with other 
Scotch emigrants, joined Sir John Johnson, and his 
Indians, in devastating the frontiers of New York 
in the war we are to speak of. 

John. The war of independence. And I remem- 
ber, sir, that Clarke told the legislature that the En- 
glish government even then had jealousies that the 
colonies wished to throw off their dominion and 
become independent. 

Un. Now let us go and walk in the fields, over 
at Hoboken ; and. to-morrow we will resume the 
stories of old time. 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 67 

Wm. But, Uncle, you might tell us something" 
more of the French wars. 

U?i. There is an incident in the history of the 
province of New York that ought to be mentioned 
in detail, but it happened in 1690. 

Wm. O, never mind that, sir. 

Un. Mr. G. F. Yates, of Schenectady, is prepar- 
ing for the press a work called " Antiquarian Re- 
searches, and Olden Time Reminiscences of the Mo- 
hawk Valley," and being in correspondence with him 
he has permitted me to show you a beautiful picture 
painted for him by Mr. Chapman, of our city, and 
engraved by Mr. Adams, representing the burning 
of Schenectady by the French and Indians ; and we 
will read the account he has published of this dread- 
ful scene: — " The inhabitants of Schenectady were 
not ignorant of the designs of their remorseless foes, 
the French of Canada and their savage allies. 
Often when we think danger is the farthest ofTj it is 
near at hand. It was so on this occasion. The 
guard which had been kept for many a weary night, 
was at this time intermitted. The truth is, it was 
not supposed to be practicable, at such an inclement 
season of the year, for any body of forces to march 
through a wilderness which was hardly passable in 
the summer, with no covering from the heavens, or 
any provisions except what they carried about their 
persons. 

" Such was the restless spirit of the French, that 
it became a necessary policy with their commander, 
the Count de Frontignac, to keep in action the most 
daring of them and revive their flagging spirits. He 
accordingly projected three expeditions against the 
English colonies. Of these the surprising of Schen- 
ectady was one. This was committed to the super- 
intendence of Monsieur de Herville. 

11 Near midnight they entered the guard-gates of 



68 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

the town imperceived, and silently divided themselves 
into small parties, that they might make a simulta- 
neous attack on all the inhabitants. The war-whoop 
was raised, the signal for destruction. Like demons 
loosened ' from thsir kindred hell,' they broke open 
every dwelling and murdered all they met, without 
distinction of age, sex, or condition; and at the same 
time, to complete the havock, applied the blazing 
torch to every building. The slumbering inhabit- 
ants started from their sleep, bewildered, frantick. 
Some hid themselves and remained secure, until the 
flames drove them from their lurking places ; when 
they fell beneath the tomahawk or were taken pris- 
oners. Others ran half-naked and barefoot into the 
adjoining woods, whence a few escaped after extreme 
sufferings to Connestigiuna and Albany, and others 
perished miserably on the way. Surprised, unarm- 
ed, and defenceless, resistance was in vain. Courage 
and cries for mercy were alike unavailing. The 
same fate awaited the craven and the brave. To 
some of the inhabitants, however, this assault was 
not altogether unexpected, and they had for some 
time previously taken the necessary precautions to 
prevent surprise. Among those who made a suc- 
cessful defence and kept the foe at bay, was Adam 
Vrooman, whose building is represented on the right 
of the engraving. Being well supplied with am- 
munition, and trusting to the strength of his build- 
ing, which was a sort of fort, he formed the desperate 
resolution to defend himself to the last extremity ; 
and if it should prove to be his fate to perish in the 
names of his own domicil, to sell his own life and 
that of his children as dearly as possible. Seconded 
in his efforts by one of his sons, who assisted in load- 
ing his guns, he kept up a rapid and continuous fire 
upon his assailants, and with the most deadly effect. 
His house was soon filled with smoke. His wife, 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 69 

nearly suffocated with it, cautiously, yet imprudent- 
ly, placed the door ajar. This an alert Indian per- 
ceived, and firing through the aperture killed her. In 
the mean time one of his daughters escaped through 
the back hall-door with his infant child in her arms, 
as depicted in the engraving. They snatched the 
little innocent from her arms, and dashed out its 
brains ; and in the confusion of the scene the girl 
escaped. Their triumph here was, however, of 
short duration ; Mr. Vrooman succeeded in securely 
bolting the door, and preventing the intrusion of the 
enemy. On witnessing Mr. Vrooman's courage, 
and fearing greater havock among their chosen band, 
the enemy promised, if he would desist, to save his 
life and not set fire to his building. This promise 
they fulfilled, but carried off two of his sons into 
captivity. 

44 Mark how vividly the engraver has depicted the 
confusion of men and things. Observe the sullen 
darkness of the heavens — no light is there save that 
proceeding from the conflagration: with the sparks 
of fire, we think we see the flakes of snow commin- 
gle. As the flashes of light fall upon the faces of 
the men they wear an unearthly aspect. The Schen- 
ectidians, wild in their attire, are seen flying, they 
know not whither ; or lying slaughtered with their 
cattle in the streets. The newly fallen snow is clot- 
ted with the blood of infants torn from their mothers' 
agonizing embrace. The young props round which 
had gathered ' the tendrils of aged fathers' hearts,' 
are rudely wrenched away — and along the encrim- 
soned snow the stiffened corses of young and old 
alike are strewed. 

" The news of this dreadful massacre reached Al- 
bany next day. The Albanians were exceedingly 
alarmed, and many resolved to go to New York. 
The Mohawk sachems, when they came to condole 



70 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

with them on the 25th of March thereafter, address- 
ed them in a set speech, and persuaded them to re- 
main. From this speech we make the following 
extract, which may serve to give some idea of the 
Indian genius : 

" ' Brethren, be not discouraged, we are strong 
enough. This is the beginning of your war, and 
the whole house have their eyes fixed upon you at 
this time, to observe your behaviour. They wait 
your motion, and are ready to join in any resolute 
measures. We, as to our parts, are resolute to con- 
tinue the war. We will never desist so long as a 
man of us remains. Take heart, do not pack up 
and go away; this will imbolden a dastardly enemy. 
(A belt is given.) 

" ' Brethren, three years ago, we were enga- 
ged in a bloody war with the French, and you en- 
couraged us to proceed in it. Our success answer- 
ed our expectation; but we were not well begun 
when Corlear stopped us from going on. Had you 
permitted us to go on, the French would not have 
been able to do the mischief they have done. We 
would have humbled them effectually, but now we 
die. The obstructions you then made now ruin us. 
Let us after this be steady, and take no such false 
measures for the future, but prosecute the war vig- 
orously. — [Giving a beaver skin.) 

" ' The brethren must keep good watch ; and, if 
the enemy come again, send more speedily to us. 
Don't desert Schenectady. The enemy will glory 
in seeing it desolate: it will give those courage who 
had none before. Fortify the place — it is not well 
fortified now : the stockades are so short that the In- 
dians can jump over them. — (Gives a beaver skin.) 

"'Brethren, the mischief done at Schenectady can- 
not be helped now; but for the future when the ene- 
my appears anywhere, let nothing hinder you from 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 71 

sending to us expresses, and fire great guns, that all 
may be alarmed. We advise you to bring all the 
river Indians under your subjection, to live near Al- 
bany, that they may be ready on all occasions. 

" ' Send to New England, and tell them what has 
happened to you. They will undoubtedly awake, 
and lend us their helping hand. It is their interest 
as much as ours to push the war to a speedy con- 
clusion. Be not discouraged, the French are not 
so numerous as some people talk. If we but heart- 
ily unite to push on, and mind our business, the 
French will soon be subdued.' 

" Before the day dawned the foe retreated home- 
ward, having murdered about seventy of the inhab- 
itants, and secured about fifty as prisoners. Of these, 
twenty were liberated out of gratitude to Captain 
Alexander Glen, a noted gentleman who resided in 
the neighbourhood of Schenectady, on the north 
side of the Mohawk river, and who has given name 
to the present town of Glenville in this county. Mr. 
Glen had, on previous occasions, manifested much 
kindness to several Frenchmen, who had been taken 
captive by the Mohawks; and had saved them from 
torture and death. A few Mohawks found in Schen- 
ectady, were also set free ; in order no doubt to con- 
ciliate their nation, and make them less eager to re- 
taliate. In this, however, they were disappointed. 

" The Mohawk nation had four towns located in 
the valley of the Mohawk, besides a small village 
about one hundred miles west of Schenectady. 
These were called by the whites, 'castles,' or for- 
tresses, as they were all fortified. They were num- 
bered according to their distances from Schenectady, 
the nearest being called ' the first Indian castle.' The 
aboriginal names were as follows : Cahhaniaga, 
(probably the same as Caghnawaga,) Canagora, 
Canajorha, and Tionondaga. The Indians of the 



72 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 



three first castles were, during the enactment of the 
dreadful tragedy we have attempted to describe, ab- 
sent on a hunting expedition to their western territo- 
ries. Several days necessarily elapsed before the 
Tionondaga band were notified of the massacre by 
the messenger despatched for the purpose. On hear- 
ing the news, they hastened to Schenectady ; whence 
they sent a hundred of their young warriours in 
pursuit of the enemy, who overtook them, and killed 
or made captive twenty-five of their number. The 
old chiefs remained to comfort the inhabitants, and 
assist them in burying their dead." 




HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 73 



CHAPTER VT. 



Un. Let us now proceed with our history. Mr. 
Clarke, I think, did not rule much longer, after the 
affair with Mr. Campbell and the Scotch highland- 
ers. 

John. No, sir ; the people did not like him, and 
the assembly let him know it; and that they were 
glad another Governor was coming. 

Un. But he had accomplished that which English 
governors and other officers were sent to the colo- 
nies for. He had sent home money and purchased 
an estate. He retired with a fortune of a hundred 
thousand pounds ; and who came next? 

John. Governor Clinton. 

Phil. Why he was governor a little while ago ; 
wasn't he ? 

Un. The same name, and said to be of the same 
family originally. We have had two governors 
Clinton, during and since the war of independence ; 
men chosen by the people, serving the people, and 
beloved by them; but the man who succeeded 
Clarke, was a younger son of an English lord, and 
was sent out to make, or mend, his fortune, as others 
of the same description had been. 

John. I remember, sir, that during his rule in 
New York, there was war again with the French 
and Indians. This was in the reign of George the 
Second; and because they quarrelled in Europe, 
the people here had to suffer for it. The French, 
from their fort at Crown Point, invaded New York 
with their Indians; and the people of Saratoga and 
Hoosac were murdered, as were those of other 
places. And I remember that the colonies sent 
troops to Louisburg, and took it. 
7 



74 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

Un. Right, boy; but we will not enter into the 
details of that war. In the histories of the time 
you will find an account of the taking of Louis- 
burg, and the ineffectual attempts to take Canada 
from the French. 

Wm. That was done afterward by the brave Gen- 
eral Wolfe. 

Un. We must return to Governor Clinton, the 
first of the name, and very different from those who 
afterward made the name to be loved. This En- 
glish governor was received with great joy by the 
people because they wanted a change, but they were 
as glad to get rid of him in a few years. He was 
a man of indolence, fond of wine, and of course 
unfit for the duties of a man, public or private. 
His wife and his favourites governed, until the as- 
sembly were tired of the impositions laid on them. 

John. But peace was restored to the country be- 
fore he went. 

Un. Yes. The people in Europe concluded a 
peace, called from the place at which it was agreed 
upon, the peace of Aix la Chapelle ; so as England 
and France (or rather the kings, and nobles, and 
their mistresses) chose to make their quarrels up, 
the people of America were permitted for a short 
time to be unmolested by brutal soldiers and savage 
Indians, or insulted by the assumed superiority of 
insolent English officers. 

John. But all the English officers were not inso- 
lent to Americans, sir. 

Un. Certainly not. Yet there was a general 
feeling of that kind pervading the whole. The 
provincials were considered as inferiours, and de- 
pendants; and it was the treatment they met with 
from both the civil and military officers sent out by 
England, which, when added to the usurpations of 
the parliament, created and nursed the spirit among 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 75 

the people that eventually produced resistance, war, 
and independence. Well, John, go on ; who suc- 
ceeded this English Governor Clinton % 

John. Sir Danvers Osborne. 

Wm. O, I remember him, because of his strange 
death. 

John. He arrived in October, 1753, and was re- 
ceived with great rejoicings. Governor Clinton 
was not at the new house that had been built in the 
fort, so Sir Danvers went to Mr. Murray's house, 
who was one of the council. Next day Mr. Clin- 
ton came from Flushing, and having made Mr. 
Delancey lieutenant-governor, he resigned the gov- 
ernment to Mr. Osborne. But while all the people 
were rejoicing, the new governor was melancholy. 
He arrived, I remember, on the 7th, and in the 
morning of the 12th, was found dead, suspended by 
a handkerchief to the fence of Mr. Murray's gar- 
den. It was afterward known that he had been 
deranged before he left England. He must have 
been very unhappy, sir. 

JJn. Most true, my son. This unfortunate gen- 
tleman had lost his wife, and had been, from the 
time of her death, very much depressed in spirit. 
His friends had hoped that by sending him to New 
York, the change of scene, and employment, would 
have cured him of the evident mental disease under 
which he laboured ; but on his arrival he found 
that if he obeyed the instructions of the English 
ministry, he should be as odious to the people as 
his predecessor ; the nature of his malady made 
the difficulties of his situation appear insurmount- 
able — madness ensued, and he became a self- 
murderer. Mr. Delancey, who had been chief- 
justice, being now lieutenant-governor, was the 
head of the government until England sent out 
another ruler, in Sir Charles Hardy; who was 



76 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

by profession a sailor, knew nothing of the country- 
he was sent to govern, and was guided by Mr. De- 
lancy, during his stay in the colony, which was 
about two years ; when he hoisted his flag as admi- 
ral, and left the province entirely to Delancey. All 
this time the country was disturbed by wars, of 
which you remember the principal events, doubtless. 

John. Yes, sir. General Braddock and an army 
was defeated near Fort Pitt, and General Abercrom- 
bie at Ticonderoga ; and Mr. Johnson defeated the 
French under General Baron Dieskau, and Gen- 
eral Wolfe took Quebec. 

TJn. The complicated events of this war, can only 
be understood by reading the general histories of 
the time. The last event you have mentioned over- 
threw the power of the French in America, frus- 
trating their great plans of encircling the colonies 
of England by a chain of forts and garrisons, from 
the St. Lawrence to the Mississippi. 

John. I remember, sir ; and it appears to me that 
the rulers of that nation had great designs in re- 
spect to this country, and that they were executed by 
great men. 

Wm. But, Uncle, you do not tell us any thing 
about the Indians. Uncle Philip used to tell us all 
about their war dances, their scalps, and their way 
of killing their enemies, and their prisoners. 

TJn. By and by, we will have one " long talk, 11 
(as the Indians say,) about all that : for the war of 
our independence had Indians in it as well as other 
savages, and I would wish you to understand the 
people who possessed all this great continent before 
the white men came to disturb them. 

Phil. But, Uncle, General Washington was in 
this French war ; and I love to hear of him. 

TJn. Yes ; he was a provincial officer at Brad- 
dock's defeat; and had done good service to his 



country before : but the English officers, as I have 
said, despised the provincials, and they suffered for 
it then, as they did afterward. There was an En- 
glish officer under Braddock at that time, with whom 
we shall have a great deal to do by and by ; he was 
then a captain, and a young man, and only had a 
subaltern's share in the misfortunes of the day. 
Major Washington probably then became acquainted 
with him. for the first. 

Mary. I want to know all about Washington ! 

Un. We shall have to talk much of him, in 
due time — but I must get you Mr. Paulding's book 
about him ; and when you are older you will read 
all his letters, which give the best history of him. 

John. But who, sir, was the Englishman you 
spoke of, that was with Braddock? 

Un. Captain Horatio Gates. 

Wm. O, the great and famous General Gates ! 

Un. I will tell you who he was ; but not yet. 
We are now coming to the troublesome times that 
produced the war of which you wish to hear; but 
I must endeavour to make you understand the 
causes. You, John, are old enough to appreciate 
the value of those rights for which the colonies con- 
tended, first by arguments and remonstrances, and 
then by the sword. 

Wm. And I know that the English king treated 
us very ill. 

Phil. And I too. 

Mary. But you promised us more stories. 

Un. I will perform my promise by telling you 
one, that could only have happened in a country 
like ours at that time, where the governors and offi- 
cers all came from another hemisphere, and had no 
interest in the welfare of the people; a country that 
was considered by the king of England and his 
ministers as a place on which to disgorge the crim- 
7* 



78 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

inals they wished to get rid of, without the aid of 
the gallows; and by the people as a market for their 
manufactures, and for the slaves they could buy or 
steal upon the coast of Africa. You remember the 
story of the Irish woman who made the governor 
of Annapolis-Royal believe she was the widow 
of a rich West India planter ? 

Mary. Oh, yes ; she was one of the people sent 
from the jail of Dublin to be sold, but who murder- 
ed the captain and ran away with the ship — I re- 
member. 

Vn. Well, I will tell you of another woman, a 
lady by birth and education; an Englishwoman, 
who was sent to the colonies and sold for a slave. 

Phil. A white slave, Uncle % 

Vn. Yes, boy; there are a great many white 
slaves — the worst are those who are slaves to their 
passions, their vices, and their evil habits. This 
woman had become such a slave, before she was 
sentenced by the laws of England to be a slave to 
an American colonist. 

Wm. Tell us her history, sir. 

Vn. I will ; not only for your amusement, but to 
show the state of society in the times before the 
country was independent — the " good old times" 
that some people still talk of. This English lady 
was named Sarah Wilson. You know, in coun- 
tries where there are artificial ranks or classes in so- 
ciety — where there are people who are called great, 
however little and mean they may be, because 
great riches descends to them from their ancestors, 
who are prohibited by Jaw from suffering their es- 
tates to go to any but the oldest son, or the heredi- 
tary successor of the family. — Do you understand ? 

John. As the crown and the kingdom belongs, 
in England, to the oldest son of the former king. 

Vn. And so of other estates; for in the "good old 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 79 

times" the people were only considered, by kings, 
as part of their property. Well, where such arti- 
ficial distinctions exist, the great folks, to show their 
superiority to others, have servants of an order 
above common people. The king is served by lords, 
and the queens and princesses by ladies ; so this 
lady, Miss Sarah Wilson, was among the lady-ser- 
vants to the honourable Miss Vernon, who was a 
servant, or maid of honour, of the queen. Unfor- 
tunately, Miss Wilson was not a maid of honour or 
honesty ; for she, although a favourite of the hon- 
ourable Miss Vernon's, and an intelligent young 
lady herself, coveted the diamonds, and other finery, 
which glittered in her eyes ; and having an acci- 
dental opportunity, when on an errand to her ma- 
jesty, opened a casket and stole the queen's picture, 
richly set in diamonds, with several other jewels, 
which she secreted about her person, and carried off 

Mary. What! a lady, and steal? do you believe 
it, sir % 

Un. A lady by birth, but not a lady in principle, 
my dear ; a real lady, truly honourable and truly 
religious, could not have done this, or even have 
wished to possess the property of another. But this 
unhappy woman, who perhaps had never yielded to 
temptation before, was not duly instructed in her 
eternal or w r ordly interests. Had she been truly a 
lady, these jewels, however beautiful or however 
costly, would have possessed no temptation for her. 
But she had been educated in vanity, and the Jove 
of dissipation, although destined to poverty ; be- 
cause the property of her parents was appropriated 
to the oldest son of the family. She saw deference 
paid to the possessors of splendour ; and after cher- 
ishing the desire to possess these glittering toys 
that seemed to constitute the worth of the wearer, 
she, in an unhappy moment, yielded to the tempta- 



80 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

tion which opportunity presented, and became — a 
thief. 

Phil. Now, Uncle, I do believe you are making 
this story, as you go along, all out of your own head. 

Un. Why do you think so. Philip ? 

Phil. Because, how could you know what Sarah 
Wilson thought? 

Un. You love to hear me tell stories. I will tell 
you such as are connected with the history of the 
people of the colonies. The principal incidents 
relative to this Sarah Wilson are facts ; but I must 
add to them some supposed facts, and motives, to 
account for part of her real story that would 
otherwise appear improbable. But I will distin- 
guish between that which I suppose, and that which 
is known. 

John. Don't interrupt the story, sir ; let us guess 
at that part which is your invention. 

Un. Well, boy, be it so. But you will find that 
the real is sometimes more improbable than the sup- 
posed or fictitious. 

Phil. I don't see how that can be. 

Mary. Philip, I wish you wouldn't interrupt Uncle ! 

Un. This poor young woman, although accom- 
plished, as it is called, had been badly taught, and 
had bad examples before her. The jewels were 
after a time missed, but no suspicion fell upon Miss 
Wilson. In such cases suspicion often falls upon 
the innocent, and they perhaps suffer. After a time 
one of the jewels was offered by a jeweller for sale ; 
it was known to have been the queen's. Inquiry 
was made after the person who sold it to the dealer, 
and although Miss Wilson had been very cunning, as 
she thought, the fact of selling the jewel was traced 
to her. The very circumstance of her being dis- 
guised when she sold the article was a proof of her 
guilt, and served to convict her. She was taken 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 81 

up, tried, and condemned, according to the laws of 
England, to suffer death. 

Mary. O, dear! 

Un. Only think what she must have suffered; 
even before detection how miserable she must have 
been ; living in constant fear because of her con- 
sciousness of guilt. But, although her parents had 
caused her to be poor, by giving all their property 
to her brother that he might do honour to the family 
name, as is customary in Europe, they now sought 
to save themselves from the disgrace of having a 
child publickly executed as a felon ; and Miss Ver- 
non, whose attendant she had been, (and who had 
been attached to her,) likewise exerted herself to 
prevent the sad catastrophe. In short, she was re- 
prieved ; that is, the execution was put off — and af- 
ter a time, she was sentenced to be transported to the 
colonies, and sold as a servant, or slave, for life. 

John. As people like her have since been sent to 
Botany Bay. 

Un. Yes. A practice still continued by the En- 
glish. 

John. But did she restore the other jewels, and 
the queen's picture % 

Un. The most surprising part of her story, and 
recorded as a fact, is, not that she restored them, 
but that she persisted in declaring herself innocent, 
and had such consummate art as to conceal and 
carry away with her the picture and the remain- 
der of the stolen property. This can only be ac- 
counted for from the favour shown her by her for- 
mer lady, Miss Vernon ; for if she had been searched 
with the rigour used in the cases of common crimi- 
nals, the jewels must have been found. 

John. But, sir, was she sent out to America and 
actually sold? 

Un. Yes. With other convicts, she was trans- 



82 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

ported to Maryland, and purchased by Mr. Duval, 
of Bush creek. It is to be supposed that she was 
not treated as a common servant, perhaps her em- 
ployment was that of a nurse, or if she could make 
her master and mistress believe that she had been 
unjustly condemned, she might have been intrusted 
as a teacher to the children of the family. Be that 
as it may, she had now become an adept in deceit, 
and she formed a bold plan to obtain liberty, and 
make use of the property she had concealed. We 
must imagine that by the favour shown her, she had 
been suffered to bring with her the clothing in 
which she had officiated as Miss Vernon's attendant. 
By what means she escaped from Mr. Duval's is 
not recorded ; and we are left to suppose that having 
gained the confidence of the family, she might have 
been left in charge of the house, when the master 
and mistress made some distant visit. Certain it is 
that she escaped to Virginia, and there appeared in 
a fictitious character ; and that she was received 
and treated as the princess Susannah Carolina Ma- 
tilda, and sister to the queen of England. 

John. That does appear almost impossible, sir. 

TJn. To make my story probable, I must intro- 
duce another character ; a most finished rogue, well 
known in his time, by the name of Tom Bell. This 
vagabond had been likewise sent from an English 
prison to add to the value of his majesty's planta- 
tions, for so the people of England used to call all 
this country. 

Phil. How could a rogue add to the value of a 
country, sir? 

Un. Well asked, boy. But such was the way 
the English people talked. They sent slaves and 
infamous convicts among the people who had fled 
to this continent to avoid slavery and the conta- 
gion of European vices. This was called policy; 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 83 

to increase the population, and by so doing, create a 
demand for English manufactures. For the colo- 
nists were prohibited from making many things for 
themselves, and were not allowed if possible to buy 
them from any other country but England. Re- 
member this when we come to talk of the causes of 
the American war. 

Mary. But, Uncle, what had Tom Bell to do with 
Sarah Wilson? 

Un. Ah, the story ! You may imagine that it 
would be difficult for this woman, however artful, 
to pass herself off for a princess, and impose on the 
people of Virginia, as is recorded, if she had not 
been assisted by some cunning confederate. Such 
a one was Tom Bell. This accomplished scoun- 
drel had been sold to a trader or shopkeeper, in 
Burlington, New Jersey, and gained the good will 
of his master so far that he was intrusted to carry 
goods about the country as a pedler. You may 
suppose he cheated the confiding owner, and by de- 
grees accumulated some money from the gains of 
his pack. He then decamped, pack and all, and by 
various artifices got off to Virginia. You must re- 
member that at that time the country was thinly in- 
habited, the roads bad, newspapers scarcely known, 
in comparison to our days, and although Tom was 
advertised, he eluded detection. He fell in with 
Sarah Wilson, and recognised, in her, one who had 
been tried at the same assizes with himself, al- 
though they had been shipped for America by sepa- 
rate vessels, and to different colonies. As they 
were known to each other, they were obliged to trust 
each other ; and Tom communicated to her a bold 
plan of imposture, after inducing her to confess that 
she had possession of some money, as well as him- 
self, and (what suggested the scheme to him) a good 
wardrobe, rich jewels, and the queen's picture. 



84 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

John. Ah ! I begin to see how it might be done. 

Mary. Hush, John ! 

Un. The story they agreed upon was probably this. 
That she should declare herself to be the princess 
Susannah Carolina Matilda, sister to the queen of 
England, and he was to personate her betrothed 
lover, Mr. Edward Sothway, a private gentleman 
of fortune; for the love of whom she had been in- 
duced to fly to America, as her royal relations for- 
bade their union. That she had lately received 
letters which rendered further incognito unnecessa- 
ry ; despatches by which they had certainty of being 
recalled, and the marriage permitted ; he being first 
elevated to the rank of an earl, by his gracious ma- 
jesty, at the intercession of his royal consort. As 
proofs of her high rank she was to produce the 
jewels, and above all, the picture of her august sister. 

Phil. Can the king make earls? 

Un. He can make any factitious titulary person- 
age, and can bestow the riches of the country, to 
give any blockhead the dignity derived from splen- 
dour ; but he cannot make either a learned or an 
honest man. The king is called, in England, the 
source of honour ; thus, to my simple notion, usurp- 
ing the attribute of Deity. It is only the Most 
High, my children, who can bestow true honour, 
which alone belongs to talents united with virtue. 

John. But, sir, many dukes and lords have been 
good men — noble men ! 

Un. Certainly ; but, although they received their 
fortunes and titles from ancestry or from the king, 
they must have received their real nobility from 
their Creator. 

Wm. Is it possible, Uncle, that this lying woman 
and impudent man could make people believe them? 

Un. Yes. It is recorded, and it is undoubted, 
that this Sarah Wilson, now become familiar with 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 85 

deceit and crime, (for it is th.j nature of guilt, my 
children, to strengthen by practice, one crime lead- 
ing to another,) it is certain that this woman was 
received and entertained in Virginia, and in both 
the Carolinas, as a princess ; that she imitated the 
manners she had seen at court, and although she 
received presents and borrowed money from the 
gentlemen she imposed upon, she affected the state 
of royalty, and graciously extended her hand to be 
kissed by her visiters. In the colonies at that time, 
you must remember that the people received their 
rulers from England ; those who desired offices of 
trust and profit looked to England for them ; they 
called England, home, as if America was only a 
place of exile; they had the prejudices in favour of 
hereditary monarchy and nobility belonging to the 
country their fathers came from ; they were told by 
every act of the mother country that they were de- 
pendant and inferiour; and some, at this time, seem- 
ed to believe that they were debased by their situa- 
tion. It is hardly yet believed by some among us, 
that a plain honest democrat without title can be 
equal to a titulary European. 

Wm. And did people really kiss the hand of this 
lying woman — this thief? 

Un. Sarah Wilson and Tom Bell, having digest- 
ed their plan of operations, separated for a time, to 
put it in execution. It was necessary that he should 
appear as a gentleman, and at that time the apparel 
of a gentleman was very costly. He must have a 
wig, which must be dressed every day ; he must 
have several suits of apparel, of cloth, silk, or 
velvet, trimmed with gold or silver lace ; silk 
stockings; gold or paste knee and shoe buckles; 
a gold laced hat, and a sword with a richly orna- 
mented hilt. All this, Tom was obliged to pur- 
chase, and, moreover, several negroes to attend him 
8 



86 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

and the pretended princess. She made her appear- 
ance at the head inn of one of the principal towns 
of Virginia, in the dress and character of a great 
English lady, who was to be joined in a few days 
by a gentleman of distinction ; he arrived, the hon- 
ourable Mr. Sothway; curiosity was excited, and 
the story of the princess and her betrothed lover 
was buzzed abroad. She was waited upon ; con- 
fided her pretended history to those who were eager 
to hear it. She told her visiters that she had assu- 
rances from home, that all the indiscretion of her 
flight was forgiven ; a ship of war was to be sent 
for her; and on her return to St. James', her mar- 
riage would take place as soon as the honourable 
Mr. Edward Sothway had been elevated to the peer- 
age. Hints, however, were given that funds ran 
low ; but great remittances were expected. Those 
who kissed the royal hand of the princess, were 
promised governments, and other high offices, if 
civilians; if military men, promotion in the army; 
if in the navy, ships. Any sums her "royal high- 
ness" required were forthcoming; all was in train, 
and the capital laid out in clothes, equipage, and 
attendants was likely to be returned with usurious 
interest. She was received, says a printed account, 
as "a sprig of royalty" from "house to house, and 
condescendingly permitted the masters to kiss her 
hand. They entertained her with honours, and 
she repaid the honours with compliments, and the 
cash with promises. So stood affairs w r hen, one 
day, the princess's betrothed, with the usual cere- 
mony, requested a private interview ; (for Tom was 
kept at most respectful distance;) and the request 
being granted, he exhibited a newspaper to her roy- 
al highness with the following advertisement : 

" Bush Creek, Frederick County, Maryland, Oc* 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 87 

tober Wth, 177J. Run away from the subscriber, 
a convict servant maid, named Sarah Wilson, but 
has changed her name to lady Susannah Carolina 
Matilda, which made the publick believe that she 
was his majesty's sister. She has a blemish over the 
right eye, dark rolled hair, stoops in the shoulders, 
makes a common practice of writing and marking 
her clothes with a crown and a B. Whoever se- 
cures the said servant woman, or takes her home, 
shall receive five pistoles, besides all costs and 
charges. Wm. Duval. I entitle Michael Dalton 
to search the city of Philadelphia, and from thence 
to Charlestown, for the said woman. Wm. Duval." 

You, John, will remark that this is very badly 
written. 

Mary. What is meant by rolled hair, Uncle ? 

Un. In those days, ladies wore what were called 
rolls, or sometimes cushions, over which, to a con- 
siderable (and ofttimes to a preposterous) height, the 
hair was combed and fastened with wire pins. It 
has appeared to me that in this headdress, the artful 
woman might have concealed the jewels she brought 
away with her. 

John. Well, sir, was she seized in consequence 
of this advertisement % 

Un. Tom Bell secured the only paper that had 
found its way into that part of Virginia. But the 
confederates thought it was time to move farther 
from Philadelphia, where the advertisement was 
published. They pretended a journey to the north, 
and took leave as for a few days of their dupes ; 
but soon separated ; and by concert met again in 
South Carolina, where they played over the same 
game with equal success. She, however, changing 
her title to the "Princess Augusta de Waldegrave." 
Dalton, however, pursued them; and Tom, hearing 



88 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

of his arrival at Charlestown, robbed the princess, 
and left her to be claimed as a runaway convict ; 
and conveyed ignominiously back to Maryland. 

Mary. And is this the end of Sarah Wilson's 
story, Uncle ? 

Un. No. For in the year 1773, 1 find her in New 
York ; but that must serve for another story. When 
we meet again, we must go on with the history of 
publick men and publick events. 

Phil. But do tell us, sir, what became of Tom 
Bell. 

Un. Another time. We shall meet Tom again. 



CHAPTER VII. 



Un. Now, children, let us proceed. We left off 
at the death of Sir Danvers Osborne in that most 
fearful manner, by self-murder; and as Governor 
Clinton had made Chief-Justice Delancey lieutenant- 
governor, he of course was the ruler of the province 
after the death of Osborne. What followed? 

John. Uncle Philip then told us of the French 
war. 

Un. I will here give you my knowledge of the 
origin of this war of 1754. It was a war to pro- 
tect English traders who had a fort on the Ohio, 
which the French seized, and otherwise infringed 
the right which England claimed, to supply the 
Indians with British manufactures. The English 
likewise quarrelled with the French about the lim- 
its of Canada, (then, you know, a French province,) 
and the limits of Nova Scotia, belonging to Eng- 
land. In this war the Americans were involved 
and suffered. After Braddock's defeat in 1755, the 
French and Indians attacked the frontiers of the 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 89 

colonies. The Americans had to raise soldiers to 
the amount of twenty-four thousand men or more. 

John. Uncle Philip told us of a meeting of the 
governors of the provinces at Albany, and that a 
plan was proposed by Doctor Franklin for joining 
the colonies together ; and that the Americans re- 
jected the plan, because it would give too much 
power to the king of England; and that the Eng- 
lish did not like it, because the king thought it 
would give too much power to the Americans. 
Now, sir, I do not understand this. 

Un. There is no possibility for you to understand 
the cause of difference between this country and Eng- 
land without speaking to you of taxes and taxation. 
Doctor Franklin says, that a plan was proposed at that 
meeting of governors at Albany, by which they, the 
governors of the colonies should assemble, in case 
of war, and levy troops, build forts, and provide mil- 
itary stores; and for the expense of all these prepa- 
rations draw upon England for the money, making 
themselves debtors for the amount, to be repaid, by 
money raised in the colonies from a general tax, to 
be laid on them by act of parliament. This, you 
see, was granting to England the right to tax the 
colonies for defending themselves against the ene- 
my raised up by quarrels not of her own, but origi- 
nating in Europe. Even then, Dr. Franklin tells 
us, that the general opinion in America was, that 
England had no right to tax Americans, nor 
could constitutionally do it: because, the colonies 
were not represented there. Now remember this ; 
for it was the cause of the war we are coming to. 
And it was the cause that the plan offered at Alba- 
ny was objected to by Americans. They were rep- 
resented in their own assemblies, and those assem- 
blies granted the money wanted for defence or other 
purposes. 



90 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

John. Uncle Philip told us that the French es- 
tablished military posts from their province of Can- 
ada to Detroit, and seemed to intend a line of forts 
to their province of Louisiana. 

Un. I believe that was the great plan of the 
French politicians ; and then, you see by the map, 
that they would have had the greatest part of what 
is now the United States, besides the great country 
that England now owns. It was in resisting these 
encroachments that the English nnd provincials sus- 
tained so many losses ; until the battle of the plains 
of Abraham, when Wolfe succeeded in defeating 
Montcalm, and then Canada, and all the French 
posts remained in the possession of England ; and 
in consequence of the success of the colonies in the 
war with England, to which we are slowly ap- 
proaching, Independent America extends to the 
South Sea, and to the Gulf of Mexico. Now go on. 

John. In the year 1755, the same year in which 
Braddock was defeated, Sir Charles Hardy came as 
governor of New York. I believe he did nothing. 

Un. He was unfit for governor, but he suffered 
himself to be guided by Mr. Delancey, the chief- 
justice, who ruled before he came, and again after 
he hoisted his admiral's flag, and departed : for he 
was a mere sailor. 

John. It seems to me, sir, that the English thought 
anybody might be a governor here. 

Un. I don't wonder that such an opinion gen- 
erally prevailed, when so great a man as Lord 
Chatham said in parliament, that " there was not a 
company of English foot-soldiers sent to America 
but could furnish a man fit to govern a colony." 

John. Did Lord Chatham say so 1 

Un. I am not certain of the very words, but he 
did give such an opinion ten years after Admiral 
Hardy was governor of New York. In July, 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 91 

1757, Sir Charles departed and left the government 
of New York to the American Lieutenant-gov- 
ernor Delancey, who, in fact, governed both prov- 
ince and governor before. On the death of this 
gentleman, in July, 1759, Doctor Cadwallader Col- 
den, who was president of the council, succeeded to 
the administration of the government by virtue of 
that office; and two years after, that is, the 17th 
Juty, 1761, the old gentleman managed, very much 
against the wishes of the people, to procure the 
commission of lieutenant-governor from England. 

John. I remember, about this time, New York 
and New Hampshire quarrelled about that coun 
try which is now the state of Vermont, and the peo- 
ple who purchased their land of New Hampshire 
seized upon it by force. 

Un. Yes ; Governor Wentworth of New Hamp- 
shire, notwithstanding that he had agreed to refer 
the dispute to the king, and notwithstanding that 
the king had decided as was just, that the province 
of New York extended to Connecticut river, yet he 
sold or made grants of this land, and if the great 
quarrel between all the colonies and Great Britain 
had not come on, there would have been war be- 
tween these settlers on the disputed land, and the 
government of New York. 

John. There was, sir, almost. For the sheriff 
and his officers had to fire on the men who took 
possession of a courthouse and prevented the judges 
from holding court ; and the New Hampshire men 
were headed by Ethan Allen, a desperate kind of 
man, and Seth Warner ; and the governor of New 
York offered a reward for the seizing of these men, 
and some others. 

Tin. Your memory is good. These troubles 
were forgotten, and the men from New Hampshire 
were left to govern themselves in this part of the 



92 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

New York province, while all the continent became 
enraged at the attempt of Great Britain to tax the 
colonies by passing the celebrated stamp act. The 
resistance to this act was the true commencement of 
the American revolution. But before the passing 
of the stamp act, General Robert Monckton, who 
had been with Wolfe at the taking of Quebec, was 
sent out as governor, in 1762 ; but he interfered lit- 
tle with Governor Colden ; for he took command 
of the troops collected and encamped on Staten 
Island, and soon embarked for Martinique, with them, 
and took it from the French. Captain Horatio 
Gates went with him as his aid-de-camp, and was 
sent with the news of success to England, which 
procured him the rank of major. Monckton came 
back and resumed for a short time the government 
of New York. But in June, 1763, he returned to 
England and left Mr. Colden in the chair. Before 
his departure a cessation of hostilities had been pro- 
claimed, and New York, for a time, was not troubled 
by French or Indians. 

Mary. But, Uncle, you have not told us any thing 
about Indians. 

Un. What does a little girl want to know of Indians? 

Mary. I love to hear of strange things — doivt you? 

Un. I believe we all do, my dear. We must 
have some morning set apart for the Indians, I 
think ; but in the mean time I will tell you an ad- 
venture that happened at Kinderhook ; and it ap- 
pears strange to us, that places anywhere between 
this city and Albany, could be subject to the incur- 
sions of hostile savages, within the memory of peo- 
ple now living — but so it was. When men went 
into the field to plough, to sow, or to reap, they car- 
ried their guns with them ready loaded ; they lived 
in perpetual dread of hearing the Indian war- 
whoop, or, of receiving the deadly ball from the 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 93 

hidden enemy, even before the sound reached them 
from the explosion of the powder, or any warning 
from the fearful yell. Thus, in the day, they pur- 
sued their labour in fear, and at night, slept the 
broken slumber of those who know they may be 
awakened by the flames of their houses or the 
shrieks of their wives and children. One occur- 
rence at Kindcrhook, is recorded as happening a 
short time before the cessation of hostilities. Four 
white men, two boys, and a negro, having their fire- 
arms near them, were hoeing corn, when six Indi- 
ans and a Frenchman got near enough, unperceiv- 
ed, to fire on them. You must remember that in 
those days the country was covered with woods, and 
the cornfield might be in what was called a clear- 
ing ; an open space cleared of all but stumps, and 
surrounded by a thicket. 

Mary. And did they kill the boys, Uncle 1 

Un. They, perhaps, fired at too great distance, 
for they only wounded one white man and one boy. 
The negro, the unwounded boy, and the two other 
men, threw down their hoes and ran off But one 
man, of more courage, instead of flying for safety 
bethought him of the loaded guns brought for de- 
fence. He ran to the place where they had depos- 
ited their fire-arms. This man's name was Gardner. 

Wm. He was a fine fellow. 

Un. The Indians and the Frenchman seeing but 
one man on his feet, advanced from their hiding 
place; and Gardner had fair aim at an Indian, and 
shot him down — he seized a second gun, and a second 
Indian fell — a third gun was already raised, when 
an Indian sprang on him, before he could discharge 
it, and, at the same time, the Frenchman struck 
Gardner with his musket and knocked him down. 
While he was insensible, from the blow he had re- 
ceived, the Indian drew his knife and scalped him ; 



94 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

but fearing more white men might arrive, the party 
fled without killing him. 

Mary. And the wounded boy, and man — 1 

Un. The account says nothing of them ; but we 
may suppose that they crawled off, while the brave 
Gardner was fighting. 

John. And he, sir — ? 

Un. When he recovered from the blow, bewil- 
dered, covered with blood — hardly knowing what he 
did, he dragged himself painfully to the house of 
his friends ; and did not know, it is said in the ac- 
count, that he had been scalped by his savage enemy. 

Mary. What is scalping ? 

John. I have read that it was done very quickly. 

Un. Yes. The Indians wore, when they went 
to war, one lock of hair only, the rest being cut off; 
that one was left, as if in defiance of their enemies: 
as much as to say, "scalp me if you can." If an 
Indian scalped an Indian, he lifted up the skin and 
flesh on the top of the head, by this defiance-lock, 
and with his knife made an incision quite round the 
scull ; this being done, he tore off all within the 
circle. If he scalped a white person, he took hold 
of the hair, gathered up in his hand, and proceeded 
in the same way, to perform the operation. 

Mary. Oh, horrible ! I am glad white folks never 
did so. 

Un. I wish I could say that they never encour- 
aged the barbarous practice, or even that they did 
not in some instances practise it themselves; but I 
would have you know the truth, children. 

John. The French used to join with the Indians, 
dress like them, imitate them in their mode of war- 
fare, and even in this savage way of carrying off 
trophies of their success. 

Un. My children, Englishmen have done the 
same, and Americans are not free from the charge. 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 95 

War is only justifiable in defence of life and liberty; 
but even then, its consequences on those who are 
engaged in it, unless of very superiour moral worth, 
are evil : hardening the heart, and leading to licen- 
tiousness. Even great commanders, governors, and 
statesmen, have encouraged this barbarous mode of 
warfare by giving rewards for scalps, as evidences 
of death inflicted on the enemy. It was customary 
with the French rulers of Canada to do so; and I have 
now in my pocketbook a memorandum which brings 
the charge nearer home ; here it is : I will read it 
to you — "July 7th, 17G4. The Governor of Penn- 
sylvania offers for the scalp of every male Indian 
enemy above the age of ten years, one hundred and 
thirty-four dollars; and for the scalp of every female 
Indian enemy, above the age often years, produced 
as an evidence of their being killed, the sum of fifty 
pieces of eight." 

John. Surely, sir, we should not do so now. 

Un. I hope not; those good old times, as some 
people call them, are past. Here is a memorandum 
which may serve to change the subject : " May 16th, 
1763, King's College received a donation of twelve- 
hundred volumes, from Doctor Bristow of England." 

Win. Some good things did come from England. 

Un. Many ! many ! my boy. Those notions of 
government, law, liberty, and right, which bless us, 
were brought hither by the republicans of England, 
who could not fully enjoy them at home. Litera- 
ture, arts, science, philosophy, and religion, came 
hither from England. The poets, philosophers, and 
divines of England, were the countrymen and bro- 
thers of our English parents. And though, as it 
should seem, the rulers of England for a time for- 
got this — we never forgot it; and the blessings our 
fathers brought with them, they were determined to 
preserve for us. Here is another memorandum — 



96 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

"At the commencement of King's College, May 
23d, 1763, Messrs. Depeyster, Cuyler, Verplanck, 
Livingston, Watts, Bayard, Wilkins, Hoffman, and 
Marston, took degrees. These are names which 
education has preserved among the honoured to this 
day." I will show you one more advertisement 
from among the many that I have copied, before we 
go to the consideration of the causes, and of the 
commencement, of that war which severed us from 
Great Britain. You may read my memorandum. 

John. " To be let, the play-house, at the upper 
end of Beekman street, very convenient for a store, 
being upwards of ninety feet in length, nigh forty feet 
wide. Inquire of William Beekman. April 16th, 
1764. The next year, during the excitement created 
by the stamp act, a mob tore this building down. Its 
situation was a little below the junction of Nassau 
and Beekman streets, on the south or southwest side 
of the latter. Its demolition was principally accom- 
plished by boys, set on by men ; one of these boys 
is now living, (1836,) and he was the only person 
injured on the occasion." 

Un. He had his scull fractured, which, for any 
thing I know to the contrary, improved his intellect 
and prolonged his life. When we meet again I will 
endeavour to make plain to you, the cause of the 
war between America and Great Britain, to which 
we are now fast approaching. 

John. What, the stamp act ? 

Un. We must talk of some things before the 
stamp act. 

Wm. And before Captain Sear's time % 

Tin. No. For to give you a just notion of Cap- 
tain Isaac Sears, I must tell you who he was, and 
what he did before the time of the stamp act. So 
to-morrow I will begin with King Sears. 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 



97 



CHAPTER IX. 




Un. In our last walk to the Battery, I promised, 
in passing through Broad street, to give you an 
idea of the appearance of that place in former times ; 
here is a picture of some of the houses near Flat- 
tenbarick hill. 

Mary. I should not think of Broad street when 
looking at this picture. 

John. Thank you, sir. 

Wm. You promised to tell us about Captain 
Sears, Uncle. 

Un. Mr. Sears is first mentioned as a captain of 
a trading-vessel ; but appears to have commanded a 
privateer, sailing out of the port of New York, in 
1759. I would here remark that at one period twen- 
ty such armed vessels belonged to that port, when 
Philadelphia and Boston, each fitted out but one, 
9 



98 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

This may prove the greater commerce of New York 
at the period ; whether it is a proof of the greater 
morality of the place may at least be doubted. 

John. I should like to know your opinion, sir, 
of privateering. 

Un. Theoretically I condemn it, and place a pri- 
vateersman very little higher in a moral scale than 
a pirate. But practically he may be a gallant pa- 
triot, or a detestable sea-robber, according to cir- 
cumstances. I will endeavour to convey my mean- 
ing by stating cases. When the American colo- 
nies entered into warfare with a powerful nation, 
capable, as Lord Chatham said, " to crush them to 
atoms ;" and that nation had a great navy and Amer- 
ica had none ; — when that nation by means of ships 
of war, and innumerable transports and store-ships, 
poured her armies on the country and supplied them 
by sea with reinforcements, and provisions; then 
to fit out a privateer, and to command or sail in one, 
might well be deemed the act of a patriot. But 
when two nations, each having navies, carry on war 
upon the ocean, a private armed ship fitted out by 
a citizen of either, to prey upon unarmed vessels, 
or traders who merely arm in self-defence, appears 
to me little better than a pirate. In the greater 
number of instances privateering is practised with 
a view alone to plunder. Yet, as it is sanctioned 
by the custom of nations, we must not judge too 
harshly of those who have practised this mode of 
obtaining wealth by seizing it forcibly from the de- 
fenceless. 

John. I see, sir, you have not an exalted opinion 
of privateersmen. 

Un. Not very, I must confess. I detest all war 
except for defence, and the privateersman's is gene- 
rally an offensive one, and for gain alone. To re- 
turn to Captain Isaac Sears : he had been a sea- 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 99 

commander and a trader ; when war occurred be- 
tween England and France, his business as a peace- 
able sailor was interrupted : the war against the 
colonies was aggressive. He might think that to in- 
flict injury on Frenchmen was meritorious; and 
certainly when in presence of a French ship of su- 
periour force to his own sloop, the Belle Isle, he act- 
ed like a brave captain and gallant seaman. 

Win. O, tell us of the battle, Uncle. 

Un. In September, 1759, as he was cruising with 
his sloop the Belle Isle, of ten guns, well manned, 
he fell in with a large French ship of twenty-four 
guns, and eighty men, and attacked her without 
hesitation. They cannonaded each other for two 
hours, when the Belle Isle was obliged to withdraw- 
to refit, having had three mpn wounded, and several 
shots between wind and water ; that is, when the 
cannon balls make holes in the vessel which let the 
sea pour in, and in this case the American sloop 
had already three feet water in the hold. 

John. It was time to withdraw. 

Un. But Captain Sears did not give up. While 
he repaired his vessel by stopping the leaks and 
mending his rigging, the French ship made off; 
at six in the evening the Belle Isle was in state to 
give chase, and he pursued the ship all night. In 
the morning the privateer came up with her intend- 
ed prize, and Sears prepared his men to lay her 
alongside and board ; but the Frenchman by a 
lucky shot carried away the wheel, by which, you 
know, the helmsman manages the rudder ; of course 
the Belle Isle was again disabled. Sears, however, 
soon got a tiller — you know what a tiller is, boys? 

Wm. What they move the rudder with. 

Un. He got a tiller rigged in the cabin, so that 
he commanded his sloop again, and then, in spite of 
her heavy cannonade, he clapped the French ship 



100 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

aboard, and grappled her by the main shrouds. 
Thus they lay side by side — the privateer's men 
trying to gain the ship's deck, and her crew, more 
numerous, driving them back. Several times the 
Americans were upon the Frenchman's gunnel, 
but were beat back by bayonets and lances. At 
length the grappling being cut, or giving way, 
the little sloop sheered off, having nine men killed 
and twenty-two wounded, of whom, two died of 
their wounds. The shrouds of the Belle Isle had 
been cut away, and the boltsprit disabled, so that 
she was unmanageable until again repaired. Her 
antagonist, though crippled, made of£ and before 
Sears was in condition to renew the fight, a gale 
sprung up which effectually separated the vessels ; 
and the privateer with difficulty got into New- 
foundland, where she refitted for another cruise. 

Wm. Well done, brave Captain Sears ! 

John. And no doubt many men killed and crip- 
pled on board the French ship, who only fought in 
her own defence. And what a scene of blood on 
board the sloop ! nine men dead ; twenty-two groan- 
ing in agony — two dying ! 

Mary. O terrible ! I don't want to hear such 
stories. 

Un. Alas, my little girl, then you must not hear 
of war. 

Wm. Brave Captain Sears! I hope he had bet- 
ter luck with other ships. 

Un. I presume he had, yet I know he had some 
hardships and losses subsequent to this sea-fight ; 
for on the 22d of September, 1761, he returned 
home from a voyage after having been shipwrecked 
on the Isle of Sables, and losing all except his life 
and the lives of his crew ; but in a few years after 
I find him as a merchant in New York, and with 
the office of inspector of potash. But now, as we 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 101 

have had fighting enough for the present, I will 
endeavour to give you a clear view of the causes 
of the war of 1776. 

John. If you please, sir. 

Un. The first Englishmen who came to live 
in this country, left their native homes that they 
might enjoy the liberty of worshipping according 
to the dictates of their consciences, and making 
laws for their own government ; or for bettering 
their condition by trade or otherwise. You all un- 
derstand that the continent was in possession of 
those savage or wild people we call Indians when 
first visited by Europeans. The navigators of dif- 
ferent nations discovered different parts of the coast, 
and claimed each for his own country the right to 
trade on that part : and the right to purchase the 
land from the natives. Thus the French claimed 
the right to buy or conquer Canada on the north 
and Louisiana on the south; while the English 
claimed the same privilege for New England on 
the east and Virginia on the south; and the Dutch 
for Nieuw Nederlandt, extending from Delaware 
bay to Connecticut river. They did not pretend 
that this land was their property, but that they had 
the only right to buy it of the original owners. 

John. I think I understand this better than I did 
before. 

Un. The sovereigns of the European nations 
made gills, or grants, or sales, to individuals; di- 
viding the land so claimed by the nation ; and these 
individuals then claimed the right to trade and buy 
land of the natives. Thus, for example, Lord Balti- 
more became proprietor of Maryland ; William. 
Perm owned Pennsylvania; the Duke of York 
(after conquest by the English) claimed Nieuw 
Nederlandt; and the Carterets, by grant from the 
Duke, were the proprietors of East JeVsey. The 
9* 



102 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

English colonists who settled in this wild country 
underwent wonderful hardships, and had to defend 
themselves against the natives when quarrels hap- 
pened ; and while they were poor and struggling for 
existence the government of England let them 
alone — "they grew by her neglect." When they 
became rich enough to exchange their commodi- 
ties for goods manufactured in England, she was 
not satisfied with the benefit of the commerce, but 
having by degrees established governors and other 
officers over the colonies, she sent out collectors of 
revenue, opened custom-houses, and laid duties on 
the goods she sold, and if she permitted the colo- 
nists to buy of other nations, taxed such goods still 
higher. 

Wm. What right had England to do this? I 
would not have allowed it. 

Vn. The colonies thought proper to submit, be- 
cause they were weak — the weak, in old times, sub- 
mitted to the strong, as well as in modern days. 

John. I understand, sir, that the colonies were 
governed in various ways ; some governors appoint- 
ed by the proprietors, and some by the king. 

Vn. New York, under the Dutch, was govern- 
ed by directors-general, who were little more at 
first than agents for traders, and afterward for the 
Dutch West India Company. When the English 
conquered it, the king, as you remember, gave it to 
his brother James, Duke of York, who appointed 
governors; one governor serving for New York and 
New Jersey, after the division took place. When 
James succeeded his brother on the throne, New 
York became a king's government, and in 1688, 
went with the kingdom of England to William of 
Nassau and his successors. 
John. William the Third, sir. 

Vn. Yes. As I have said, by degrees, England 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 103 

imposed duties on articles imported into the colo- 
nies, and they submitted. But the impositions grew ; 
and as the colonies grew they became discontented. 
Individuals practised smuggling — that is, they con- 
trived ways to land goods without the knowledge of 
the English collectors, and by avoiding to pay the du- 
ties which were to go to the government of a distant 
country, they increased their profits, and some made 
great fortunes. Smuggling was not considered infa- 
mous, as it is now, and must be always when duties 
are laid on importations by the people themselves, for 
their own purposes. It was thought of only as an 
evasion of a burden imposed by a foreign government; 
submitted to by a kind of compromise from neces- 
sity. This practice of smuggling was of course 
complained of by the English collectors, and the 
king's ministry ordered their armed vessels in great- 
er numbers to cruise upon our coast, and commis- 
sioned their commanders as custom-house officers. 
These men were rapacious, and under colour of zeal 
for his majesty's service, they vexed the commerce 
of the country by seizures that were illegal, and for 
which no redress could be obtained but by applica- 
tion to a distant country, more injurious to the suf- 
ferer than the original wrong. 

John. This must have irritated the people, sir. 

Vn. It did. And it caused the serious and cool 
to think of remedies for the future. In addition to 
the vexation from illegal seizures, was the insolence 
of English navy-officers, and the encouragement 
given to informers. 

John. What is your opinion of informers, sir ? 

Vn. When, as in the United States, the laws are 
made by the people, and for their own good, to in- 
form against any breach of mem, is meritorious. 
But at the time we are speaking of, it was felt that 
the revenue laws were made for the benefit of others, 



104 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

and that an informer could only be actuated by the 
hope of reward, for an injury inflicted on an Ameri- 
can, and a benefit bestowed on a foreigner. The 
consequence was the introduction of the vile prac- 
tice of tarring- and feathering, by mobs impelled to 
revenge injuries for which there was no legal rem- 
edy. Where is little Mary? 

Mary. I am feeding the canary bird. 

JJn. Come here, I am going to tell a story. 

John. But, sir, the revenue officers appointed by 
England for the colonies were not all bad men. 

JJn. Far from it, my son. They acted probably 
in most cases conscientiously; that is, according to 
their judgment. Some of them we know were good 
men. I find the names of Lambert Moore of New 
York, and John Barberie of Perth Amboy, annexed 
to advertisements threatening smugglers; and Mr. 
John Temple, and the amiable Andrew Elliot, were 
receivers of his majesty's customs. But these gen- 
tlemen felt as Englishmen, not as Americans. 

Phil. Uncle, what story are you going to tell? 

U/i. I will refer to my memoranda for a tale of 
the consequences of these restrictions upon Ameri- 
can commerce for the benefit of England. Read it. 

John. "Kelly, an oysterman, and Kitchener, a 
tavern keeper, having informed against the mate of 
a vessel who had invested the savings of his wages 
in a few casks of wine, and had secretly landed them, 
the populace of New York, after a long search, (for 
the informers secreted themselves,) seized both the 
poor wretches, bound them with cords, placed them 
in carts, and paraded them through a great part of 
the city; 'many thousands attending them with in- 
sults, huzzas, and sprinkling of tar and feathers.' 
1 They besmeared their faces and clothes with tar, 
and showered feathers on them,' says another writer. 
The magistrates in vain interposed; these wretched 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 105 

men were not released ' until the populace had in 
some measure satiated their resentment.' " 

Tin. This, as you see, happened in New York ; 
and about the same time, in Newport, Rhode Island, 
the people seized a man for a similar offence, and 
after ducking him, they set him in the pillory, be- 
smeared him with tar and poured feathers over him. 
The writer says, that the inhabitants "expressed 
their satisfaction at seeing a people so justly sensi- 
ble of the injury that such a detestable wretch must 
be to the traders of this place." And here is a 
memorandum of what happened at Boston about the 
same time. Read it, John. 

John. I thought the Boston folks would not be 
behindhand in showing their uneasiness under im- 
positions, restraints, and injuries inflicted by the 
country that drove their fathers from home, to seek 
a dwelling on the rocks of Plymouth. " A person 
who arrived at Boston from Rhode Island, having 
informed the custom-house officers, that the sloop in 
which he came, had a cask or two of wine in her, 
and caused her seizure, was himself seized by the 
populace, placed in a cart, stript, 'and his naked 
skin well tarred and feathered.' ' He was carried 
from the town hall to the liberty tree, bearing in his 
hand a large lanthorn, that people might see the 
doleful condition he was in.' " 

Win. Had they liberty poles then ? 

Tin. I should have informed you that this was 
after the repeal of the stamp act, but I have men- 
tioned these tarrings and featherings all together as 
proceeding from another cause. 

John. Pray, sir, was this strange mode of punish- 
ing invented in America 1 

Tin. No. The first instance that I have met with, 
was inflicted by order of Richard Cosur de Lion, 
upon a crusader, convicted of theft. You will find 



105 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

it in Michaud's History of the Crusades, in French; 
if I recollect aright, it took place on ship-board, 
and the head of the man was shaved, the tar poured 
on it, and then feathers strewed over the tar. 

Wm. So, what was invented by a king was prac- 
tised by a mob. 

Tin. Another source of irritation was the conduct 
of English men-of-war when in our harbours; they 
required of all the sloops and boats that passed them 
to strike their colours, as if in token of servitude; 
and an instance is on record of a ship of war, an- 
chored in this harbour, firing a cannon ball into the 
pleasure-boat of a gentleman going from Whitehall 
to Elizabethtown with his friends, his wife, and his 
children, because this ceremony happened to be ne- 
glected. The ball struck the nurse, who had an in- 
fant in her arms, and instantly killed her. The 
gentleman, Mr. Ricketts, immediately returned to 
New York and complained ; the coroner pronounced 
it a case of murder : but no redress could be obtain- 
ed short of an application to Great Britain ; for the 
governor of the province by his commission was 
prohibited from all jurisdiction in any of the har- 
bours, bays, &c. Thus an insolent officer on ship- 
board, or a drunken sailor, might sink a boat tra- 
versing our harbour for business or pleasure, sacri- 
fice the lives of men or women, and the murderer 
could only be punished or called to an account three 
thousand miles off 

Wm. And did Americans bear all this 1 

XJn. No, my boy, we shall see that they did not ; 
but the time had not yet arrived. At the period of 
which we speak other grievances were goading the 
people to madness; and the rulers in Great Britain 
at the same time accused America of ingratitude, 
and talked of favours bestowed upon her. In addi- 
tion to the insolence of the officers and soldiers 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK* 107 

spread through the country, (governors and revenue 
officers in our seaports, custom-house officers on 
shore and on ship-board,) we had to suffer the out- 
rage of impressment, or resist at the peril of life. 
It is true that an act of parliament had been passed 
in the sixth year of the reign of Queen Anne, ( 1 707,) 
by which, for the encouragement of trade in Amer- 
ica, it was enacted that "no person serving as a mar- 
iner on board any privateer or trading vessel should 
be impressed, unless such person shall have desert- 
ed from a ship of war." I find this act of parliament 
quoted by the inhabitants of Boston, in town-meet- 
ing, June, 1768, in consequence of an attempt to 
press men for an English ship of war. The in- 
habitants looked to the English governor, Bernard, 
for redress ; and he answered, as if ignorant of the 
statute, that it was the custom at koine, and he could 
not interfere. 

Wm. A pretty fellow for a governor, if he did 
not know of the existence of laws made on purpose 

; for the place he was sent to govern! 

Un. Always let us remember, my good boy, that 

| the great Mr. Pitt, Lord Chatham, as I said before, 
and may repeat again, gave as his opinion that "no 
company of foot-soldiers sent by his majesty to Ameri- 
ca, but could furnish a man fit for the governor of a 
colony." Butbefore this affair at Boston, which was 
in 1768, and even before the stamp act, I find it re- 
corded that "four fishermen, who supplied the New 
York market, in the month of June, 1764, were 
seized by a press-gang in the harbour and carried 
on board a tender, to be taken to Halifax for his 
majesty's service." But the captain of the tender, 
as ignorant as Governor Bernard or any other colo- 
ny governor, thinking that he had done his duty, 
(and either not knowing that the people of the town 
had heard the fate of their fishermen, or, perhaps, 



108 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

little dreaming that they would dare oppose his ma- 
jesty's officer,) went on shore in his barge with the 
usual man-of-war imposing appearance. But no 
sooner had he landed, than the populace (I will not 
call them mob) seized the boat, without offering any 
injury to the captain or crew. The gallant officer 
found that he was off (if not out of) his element, and 
offered to restore the fishermen. But the people 
were now up, and away they went with the barge. 
The officer, probably by the advice of some gentle- 
men of the town, repaired to the coffee-house and 
wrote an order for the release of the impressed men, 
which was delivered to some one present, and a 
party went from the coffee-house, took a boat, board- 
ed the tender with the captain's order, and returned 
in triumph with the four prisoners. 

Wm. I dare say Captain Isaac Sears was of that 
party. 

Un. It may be; or Alexander McDougal, or 
some other spirited patriot. 

Phil. What became of the barge, Uncle 1 

Un. While this peaceable transaction was going 
on at the coffee-house, which was near the bottom 
of Wall street, the people had dragged the boat to 
the green in the fields, where the park is now, and 
there they kindled a fire and burnt her. The ma- 
gistrates met, but before they could interfere the 
poor barge was sacrificed to liberty. In the after- 
noon the court assembled to take cognizance of the 
affair; "but," says the record, "they were not able to 
discover any of the persons concerned in the mischief." 

Phil. I guess the English men-of-war did not 
think of pressing men in our harbour after that. 

Un. But they did though. However, they kept 
clear of the shore. On the 24th of April, 1764, the 
ship Prince George arrived from Bristol, and find- 
ing that there was a man-of-war in the harbour, 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 109 

they took the command of the vessel from the offi- 
cers, (probably with the captain's consent,) and steer- 
ed up our beautiful bay, prepared to resist any at- 
tempt to enslave them. As they expected, off came a 
boat, strongly manned from the Garland man-of-war, 
and soon came along side the merchantman, think- 
ing to board, but they found the crew armed and 
forbidding the visit. The officer's orders were dis- 
regarded, and his efforts to gain the deck in vain ; 
he and his men were beat off, while the Prince pur- 
sued her way. Seeing this opposition to his gracious 
majesty's pleasure, the captain of the Garland fired 
on the merchantman, and sent another boat to aid the 
first ; but the rebellious sailors kept on their way, 
and the baffled press-gangs returned, after following 
almost to the wharves of the town, where they saw 
indications of a reception that induced them rather 
to brave the frowns of the disappointed captain of 
the Garland. But the affair in Boston harbour was 
one of more consequence, and resistance was there 
made which terminated in death to one of the in- 
vaders of the people's rights. An attempt ensued, on 
the part of the English officers of government on 
shore, to sanction the invasion and punish the legal 
and authorized defenders of their liberty, by the sen- 
tence due to murderers. This happened in 1769, 
and although after the excitements occasioned by 
the stamp act, I tell it to you now in connexion 
with similar events at New York. 

John. Please, sir, go on. We shall understand 
all the evils that the Americans suffered from this 
particular cause the better. 

Un. That is what I wish. Mr. John Adams, then 
a young lawyer, and long the friend and servant of 
his country, has recorded the transaction in a letter to 
the Rev. Doctor Morse. A lieutenant, a midshipman, 
and a press-gancr were sent from an English frigate 
10 



110 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

called the Rose, lying in Boston harbour, as the 
Garland did in that of New York, to board a ship 
coming in from the sea. This was an American 
vessel, and they boarded her and ordered all the 
crew to appear on deck. The lieutenant doubting 
that all were before him, ordered a search, and the 
midshipman and gang found four men in "the fore 
peak." These Americans seeing their invaders 
armed with pistols and cutlasses, gave them warn- 
ing by their spokesman, Michael Oorbett, that they 
would resist — it was in vain; pistols were fired, and 
Lieutenant Panton fell dead, shot by the man who 
had warned him to desist from the attempt. A re- 
inforcement was sent for from the frigate, the four 
American seamen were overpowered and made pris- 
oners, one of them bleeding from a pistol ball. A spe- 
cial Court of Admiralty was called to try these four 
American seamen for piracy and murder. All the 
great officers of Great Britain were arrayed against 
them : the governors of Massachusetts and New 
Hampshire, Bernard and Wentworth ; with Auch- 
muty, judge of admiralty; the commodore of the 
station, Hood ; the noted Hutchinson ; and counsel- 
lors from several provinces. Some patriotic lawyers 
volunteered to defend them, and John Adams stood 
ready with the book of the statutes at large, show- 
ing, by the act of parliament above mentioned, that 
the assault on these men was illegal and the killing 
Panton justifiable. But the court seemed afraid of 
the trial, although apparently ignorant of the law 
relative to impressments in America. They ad- 
journed, again and again — held secret conclaves, 
and at length the prisoners were placed at the bar. 
The facts were stated by the English sailors, and 
were not denied by the Americans. Mr. Adams 
stood ready to produce the statute of Anne, express- 
ly prohibiting the impressment of seamen in Amer- 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. Ill 

ica. He told the court that the action of killing 
Lieutenant Panton could only be construed into jus- 
tifiable homicide. At these words, Hutchinson again 
started up and moved that the prisoners be remanded ; 
the court adjourned to the council room, sat all that 
day, and the next the prisoners were again brought 
to the bar. The town and the country rushed around 
the court, and when the excited multitude expected 
the solemn trial to proceed, Bernard arose, and pro- 
nounced that the opinion of the court was, that the 
act amounted only to justifiable homicide. Auch- 
muty said such was the unanimous opinion of the 
court. The prisoners were pronounced to be ac- 
quitted, and accordingly discharged. Such was the 
conduct of the officers of Great Britain in the col- 
onies both before and after the passing and repeal 
of the stamp act. 

John. You have told us, sir, that the colonists 
seemed content to submit to the English laws reg- 
ulating their trade, and to paying duties on the goods 
they imported ; what occasioned England to lay on 
the additional tax by the stamp act ? And what great- 
er objections had America to that than to the paying 
duties on imported goods ? 

U?i. As to the first question, it seemed that Eng- 
land considered the colonies as her property. Eng- 
lishmen did not speak of Americans as " our fellow 
subjects" but as our colonists. The parliament 
looked only to America with a view to raising mo- 
ney. On the 10th of March they laid heavy duties 
on articles imported by the colonists from the West 
Indies, and resolved upon imposing stamp duties; 
and the March following, in 1765, they passed the 
stamp act. To this all America rose up in opposi- 
tion as one man. It had no advocates but the king's 
governors, their tools, and the officers appointed to 
receive and deal out the stamps; and they were 



112 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

afraid to receive them, or were obliged to renounce 
their appointments. You ask me why the people 
who submitted to duties on the goods they imported, 
should resist this act. As I have said, they in their 
weakness submitted to necessity, and said, "we can 
avoid paying these duties, unless we can afford, and 
choose, to buy the articles imported. They are not 
absolutely necessary to life, and if we pay these ex- 
ternal taxes to Great Britain, it is only paying so 
much more for luxuries. But to pay for stamps to 
render valid every legal proceeding, every bill of 
sale and receipt, every license for marriage, and 
every will of the dying, is paying an internal tax ; 
such a tax there is no avoiding ; and internal tax- 
ation once begun, will be continued. Our property 
maybe taken from us without our consent, and that 
is not only contrary to every principle of good gov- 
ernment, but of natural justice, and violates at once 
and totally our rights as English subjects ; who are 
never taxed but by their own consent given by their 
representatives. Now, as we cannot be represented 
in England, we are represented in our assemblies, 
and when they impose taxes, either for our own af- 
fairs, or to comply with any requisition from Eng- 
land, it is our own grant ; but to be taxed at the 
will of an English parliament reduces us to positive 
slavery." 

John. Was not this the truth, sir? 

Tin. I think so — and so all America thought. 
Now we will see how this act was received in New 
York. It was passed in March, and as early as 
April it was hawked about the streets of our city, 
with this title, " The folly of England and the ruin 
of America. 3 ' 

Wm. Uncle Philip mentioned that, and he said 
that a congress of many of the people met in New 
York to talk about the stamp act, and to determine 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 113 

what was to be done ; and that men were sent to 
that congress from, I believe, all the colonies. 

Un. This congress of deputies from nine of the 
colonies met in New York, October, 1765. Before 
their meeting, the legislature of Massachusetts had 
echoed the words of James Otis, solemnly denying 
the right of parliament to tax the colonies ; and Vir- 
ginia had repeated the same. All the lawyers of 
the supreme court of New Jersey, held at Perth 
Amboy, had declared to the chief-justice, that in 
their law proceedings they would not use the stamps, 
bat rather suffer any consequences of refusal. 

John. How did Governor Colden behave when 
this first colonial congress met at New York? 

Un. The delegates from Connecticut waited upon 
him, and he told them that " such a congress was 
unconstitutional, unprecedented, and unlawful, and 
that he should give them no countenance." 

Win. And didn't they laugh at him? 

John. 1 suppose, sir, that these Connecticut gen- 
tlemen waited upon him merely to show him the 
respect which they thought due to his office as gov- 
ernor of the province of New York. 

Un. This congress elected Timothy Ruggles 
their president ; but James Otis was the soul of the 
meeting. Their resolutions were similar to the sen- 
timents I have given you, and these sentiments were 
imbodied in a very respectfully worded address, by 
a committee of three, two of whom were great men, 
Robert R. Livingston and Samuel W. Johnson. 
This was an address to the king. 

Wm. Uncle Philip told us that the people of 
New York made Mr. McEvers give up his com- 
mission, or appointment, for selling the stamps ; and 
that Mr. Colden took possession of them. 

Un. He had them brought to the fort. This en- 
raged the people, who disliked him very much before; 
10* 



114 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

and, as you know, they showed their resentment pret- 
ty violently. You are now older than when my 
brother talked to you on this subject, and as it is one 
particularly belonging to New York, I will give 
you a more minute account of the transactions in 
our city on the memorable first of November, 1765, 
the day on which the stamp act was to have taken 
effect, which would have opened the way for that 
system of internal taxation the parliament of Great 
Britain had declared they had a right to impose 
upon their colonists. 

John. Do, sir, if you please ; for I wish to know 
all about my native city, and I cannot find any book 
to inform me. 

U?i. We know that even at that early period New 
York was of considerable importance in the eyes 
of the English ministry, and was looked up to, in a 
commercial poinf of view, by the neighbouring col- 
onies. There was a military force kept up there; 
it was the head-quarters of his majesty's American 
army. The fort was a place of some strength; and 
in the harbour were several men-of-war. Opposi- 
tion to the distribution of stamps, it was known, 
would be made, and preparations for their security 
seem to have been concerted between Governor Col- 
den and the officers of the land and sea forces. On 
the 23d of October, the stamped paper arrived in 
one of the London ships, commanded by Captain 
Davis. Immediately on the arrival of these import- 
ant papers, they were placed for safe-keeping on 
board one of the ships of war in the harbour. As 
McEvers, the stamp officer, was afraid to touch them, 
they were landed with due precaution, and received 
by Colden in the fort, where, you know, he resided. 

Phil. We know — the fort was on high ground, 
between the Bowling Green and the Battery. 

Un. The fort had been repaired by order of Col- 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 115 

den, ammunition accumulated, and guns mounted, 
as if to intimidate the people. Immediately after 
the stamped paper was landed, handbills appeared 
in the streets, threatening any one who received or 
delivered a stamp. On the 31st of October, the 
merchants had a meeting, and resolved not to im- 
port goods from England. 

Wm. Captain Sears was a merchant then. 

Vn. In the evening of that day the people assem- 
bled, and a large party or company marched through 
the streets to Fort George, as if to bid defiance to 
the governor. They paraded the streets, and when 
commanded by the magistrates to disperse, they re- 
fused ; but did no mischief, and at their own time, 
quietly dispersed. 

Wm. Why, Uncle, this was pretty like the be- 
ginning of war. 

Vn. Very like it, boy; and so were the declarations 
of parliament on one side, and of the congress that met 
at New York on the other. For the first, declared 
their right and intention to tax the colonies ; and the 
second, denied that right in positive terms ; and if 
the parliament had not repealed this act, and there- 
by retracted, war would have commenced ten years 
before it did. 

John. Well, sir, what happened on the first of 
November 1 

Vn. More handbills were put up next day threat- 
ening vengeance on the protectors of the stamps ; 
and in the evening, about seven o'clock, two com- 
panies appeared who acted as if by concert. 

Wm. Captain Sears was with one, I dare say. 

Vn. One company proceeded to the fields, where 
the park now is, (then out of town,) and they very 
soon erected a gallows, on which they hung an ef- 
figy, previously prepared, to represent Colden, " in 
his hand a stamped paper;" "at his back a drum j 



116 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

on his breast a label ;" "by his side they hung with 
a boot in his hand" a figure to represent the devil. 
While this was going on in the open space, now the 
park, the other company, with another figure repre- 
senting Cold en, seated in a chair, carried by men, 
preceded and surrounded by others carrying lights, 
and attended by a great multitude, paraded the 
streets, and in this order advanced to the fort, the 
gates of which were shut, the sentinels placed, and 
the cannon on that side pointed on the town. Un- 
fortunately for the lieutenant-governor, though he 
was safely ensconced within the ramparts, his coach- 
house and carriage were without the gates. The 
populace broke in, and brought forth the chariot, 
upon which they fixed the chair and effigy.. They 
then proceeded with great rapidity to the fields, 
about the same time that the other party were pre- 
paring to move to the fort with the gallows, its ap- 
pendages, and several lanterns affixed to it. When 
the two parties met, silence was ordered. The or- 
der was obeyed. Proclamation was made " that no 
stones should be thrown, no windows broken, and 
no injury offered to any one." Strict attention was 
paid to this injunction. The multitude then repair- 
ed to the fort, and found the soldiers on the rampart. 
They marched to the gate — knocked, and demanded 
admittance. This was of course refused. They then, 
after showing some indignities to the representative 
ofthe governor, retired to the Bowling Green, "still," 
says the writer, "under the muzzles of the guns." 

Phil. The iron railing would prevent them from 
getting in. 

Un. That iron fence which you have been accus- 
tomed to see was not there at this time. It was 
erected five years after for a purpose connected with 
this present excitement. The Green was then en- 
closed with wooden palisades, which the people tore 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 117 

down, and piling them up in the centre of the Green, 
they kindled a fire, adding planks from the fence at- 
tached to the fort. On this pile they immolated 
the governor's carriage and effigies; and soon, the 
coach and gallows, the effigies of man and devil, 
were reduced to ashes. While some attended to the 
bonfire, others, "making a passage through the 
other side of the palisades," that is, up Broadway, 
" repaired," says the writer, " to the house lately 
known by the name of Vauxhall, and now in the 
occupation of Major James of the royal regiment 
of artillery." Here with the blind fury of intoxi- 
cated savages they destroyed every article of this 
gentleman's property they could find ; books, math- 
ematical instruments — things which men in their 
senses would venerate and cherish ; but the people 
had been exasperated by expressions he had used — 
they were now wrought to madness, and" showed 
by their excesses the danger of setting a mob in mo- 
tion. On this occasion the inhabitants began with 
a degree of order to execute a preconcerted scheme 
of insult and defiance to a man they disliked ; their 
numbers would be increased by idlers, vagabonds, 
blackguards, and thieves; and their order would 
terminate in brutal violence. 

John. Did Mr. Colden do any thing next day, sir ? 

Un. Yes. Handbills appeared, dated November 
2d, — this is a copy. Read it. 

John. " The lieutenant-governor declares he will 
do nothing with the stamps, but leave it to Sir 
Henry Moore, to do as he pleases on his arrival." 
"By order of his honour. Signed, Geo. Banyar, 
D. C. Coun." 

Un. Mr. Moore was the new governor that was 
coming from England. In the next newspaper ap- 
peared the following: "The governor acquainted 
Judge Livingston, the Mayor, Mr. Beverly Robin- 



118 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

son, and Mr. John Stevens, this morning, being 
Monday, the 4th of November, that he would not 
issue, nor suffer to be issued, any of the stamps, now 
in Fort George." Signed, Robert R. Livingston, 
John Cruger, Beverly Robinson, John Stevens. 
Another notice appeared without any signatures : 
" The freemen, freeholders, and inhabitants of this 
city, being satisfied that the stamps are not to be 
issued, are determined to keep the peace of the city, 
at all events, except they should have other cause of 
complaint." 

John. This, I suppose, satisfied the people. 

Tin. No. They declared that the stamps should 
"be delivered out of the fort, or they would take 
them away by force." So, after much negotiation, 
it was agreed that Captain Kennedy should be re- 
quested to take them on board his majesty's ship 
Coventry, and if he refused, that they should be de- 
livered to the corporation. Kennedy declined re- 
ceiving them ; and they were delivered to the mayor 
and common council, and deposited in the city hall, 
in Wall street. It is said that while the people 
were in this commotion, the cannon on Copsey Bat- 
tery, and in the king's yard, were all spiked up, as 
were also many belonging to the merchants, in or- 
der to prevent any use being made of them, for ob- 
taining the stamps. Copsey Battery was below the 
fort, and so called as being erected on the Copsey 
or Capsey rocks, an Indian name. 

John. Uncle Philip told us that some people who 
were in favour of the stamp act read a paper to the 
inhabitants, persuading them to put down such riot- 
ous proceedings. 

TJn. I do not believe, that except officers, civil 
and military, and a few Englishmen, there were 
any people in favour of this detested act. Many 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 119 

moderate men were opposed to, and ashamed of, the 
late violent proceedings. 

John. But he told us that many justified them, 
and that Captain Sears said that that paper had 
been read to them to prevent them from getting pos- 
session of the stamped papers. 

Un. I have no doubt that Mr. Sears and his as- 
sociates dictated the resolutions which brought Mr. 
Colden to deliver up the papers as I have related to 
you. They had no confidence in Colden. It was 
known that many acts of his administration had 
been for selfish ends, and selfish men are never to 
be trusted. Even the intrigue by which he obtained 
his commission was known to have been founded 
on misrepresentation. So great was the dislike to 
Colden, that when, after the repeal of the stamp act, 
when the assembly of New York made compensa- 
tion to Major James and others for property destroy- 
ed, they refused to pay Mr. Colden, though he made 
out his account and sent it to them. They said that 
what he had suffered was owing to his own miscon- 
duct. 

Wm. That was right. 

John. I suppose, sir, all was quiet now, for a time. 

Un. In a little time, Sir Henry Moore came ; he 
was a man of prudence, and was very well received ; 
but in January, 1766, another parcel of these stamped 
papers caused another more moderate exertion of 
the people's power, though very decisive and sum- 
mary. A party of the inhabitants went at midnight, 
armed, to the wharf where the brig lay, on board of 
which it was known stamped papers sent for New 
York and Connecticut had been shipped. They 
entered the brig, demanded the keys, struck a light, 
and searched until they found ten boxes filled with 
these tokens of the affection of Great Britain to 
America. They were soon removed from the brig 



120 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

to a small boat, and rowed up the East river to the 
shipyards, which were then where Catharine street 
now comes to the water. Here the party broke 
open the boxes, and making a flame with some tar 
barrels, the stamps were added to the bonfire, and 
their ashes distributed to the winds. This done, 
the men returned quietly to town and dispersed. 

Wm. Uncle, where was Major Gates at this time? 

Un. He was in his native land with his friend 
and patron General Monckton, soliciting still farther 
promotion. By and by, I will give you a sketch 
of his history up to the time that General Wash- 
ington recommended him to congress for the office 
of adjutant-general. At present we must see what 
Sir Henry Moore the new governor did in the year 
1766. 

John. Uncle Philip told us that he did very little 
for New York ; indeed he said little about him. 

Un. Yet the transactions of that time are well 
worth your knowing, and remembering. The new 
ruler arrived, I think, early in December, but be- 
fore he reached America, Major James, whose pro- 
perty had been burned, went to England to tell his 
story, and Mr. Golden wrote by him to the minis- 
try ; to his letter he was answered, that Sir Henry 
Moore w r as then on his w r ay to New York With in- 
creased powers; among others, to suspend members 
of the council. The minister says, " such times as 
these may require the exercise of that pow r er," and 
that it is expected governors " should not want firm- 
ness to use it boldly, whenever it may seem useful 
to the king's service and publick peace." This puts 
me in mind of some letters I have seen in MSS., 
from William Smith, son of the historian of New 
York up to the year 1762 : a high king's man ; and 
afterward chief-justice of Lower Canada. He w r rote 
several times to Major Gates, who w r as in England, 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 121 

during 1763 and '64. In one letter he says, "We 
in America ivant aid, not to maintain the dependen- 
cy of the colonies, for you know, saucy as we are, 
there is nothing- to fear on that account." He rep- 
robates the cowardly expedient of removing gov- 
ernors, because the people don't like them. He 
says, " the first error is on your side of the water." 
Governor Boone of New Jersey had been recalled. 
Smith says the cause " was his contest with a proud 
licentious assembly." "We area great garden — 
constant cultivation will keep down the weeds; re- 
member they were planted by liberty and religion 
near a hundred years ago. There are strong roots 
that will despise the gardener's utmost strength." 
He then calls for governors and judges of spirit and 
abilities; as it would seem, to keep down these 
weeds planted by liberty and religion. It was thus 
these civil and military officers of England talked 
among themselves of America ; and it was by such 
representations that Great Britain was encouraged 
to persevere in her attempts to make the colonies 
submit to taxation by an English parliament. 

Wm. But they found themselves mistaken, sir! 

Tin. Happily, boy, they did, — happily for Amer- 
ica, for England, and for the world. In March, 
1766, that parliament repealed the stamp act, not 
because it was unjust, but because they saw that they 
could not enforce it, and that it was necessary to de- 
fer their plans of subjugation for a time. You have 
now, I presume, a sufficient knowledge of the op- 
position to the stamp act, and the rejoicings at the 
repeal. 

John. Oh yes, sir, and of Lord Chatham, that 
friend to America. 

U/i. So Americans considered him ; but he never 
was in the true sense a friend to America. He was 
a friend to what he considered the interests and glo- 
11 



122 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

ry of Great Britain ; and only opposed the stamp 
act because he saw that it could not be carried into 
effect. He advocated the doctrine which declared 
the British parliament sovereign over the colonies 
in all cases whatsoever — he died exerting his last 
spark of life in opposition to American independ- 
ence; and yet Americans, having been once per- 
suaded that he was their friend, have continued to 
this day so to call him. The assembly of New 
Fork had a statue of him made in Europe and set 
up here in Wall street ; the British, when they took 
the city, knocked off the head and one hand — the 
Americans, when they returned to the city, removed 
the trunk. Yet it is but a few months, since some, 
calling themselves Americans, and supposed to un- 
derstand the history of their country, would have 
replaced the statue of William Pitt, Earl of Chat- 
ham, in our high places, as the representation of a 
friend to American liberty! 

John. Indeed, sir, I thought he was. 

Un. You are excusable, my son ; I dare say you 
were taught so in your school books. But men of 
education should know better. John Adams did not 
think so. He has written and authorized these 
words to be published: "The resistance in Amer- 
ica was so universal and determined, that Great 
Britain, with all her omnipotence, dared not attempt 
to enforce her pretensions — she saw she could do 
nothing without her Chatham ; he was called in to 
command the forlorn hope ; and at the same time 
to invent the ruse de guerre." The stamp act was 
repealed, and the statute passed, that " Parliament 
was sovereign over the colonies, in all cases what- 
soever." The repeal of an act, by which they 
were taxed for stamps upon all legalized contracts, 
blinded them to the assertion which announced 
that they were slaves to the people of Great Britain. 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 123 

Mr. Adams says of Chatham, " He died a martyr to 
his idol. He fell in the house of lords, with the 
sovereignty of parliament in his mouth." Yet, 
boys, you and other children have been taught to 
call this effort to rouse his countrymen to war to 
the death against this country, a speech in favour 
of American liberty ! 

John. Indeed, sir, I see the truth now. But it is 
hard that we should be taught so many falsehoods. 

Un. It is, my good boy ; but our remedy must 
be to examine and judge for ourselves; determined 
to find the truth, and when we have found it, to tell 
it boldly. The undeserved reputations of individu- 
als will suffer, but the names of the worthy will 
shine more bright ; and the cause of truth will gain 
in lustre. 

John. Is it known, sir, what the inscription was 
on the statue of Chatham, or on its pedestal ? 

Un. Yes : I have preserved a copy of it for the 
benefit of the curious. Here it is : Read it. 

John. " A marble pedestrian statue of Lord Chat- 
ham was erected in Wall street, on the 7th of Sep- 
tember, 1770. The statue was in a Roman habit; 
the right hand holding a scroll partly open, on which 
was inscribed, ' Articuli Magna Char tee Liberta- 
tnmJ The left hand is extended, in the attitude of 
one delivering an oration. On the south side of the 
pedestal is the following inscription cut in marble: 
1 This statue of the right honourable William Pitt, 
Earl of Chatham, was erected as a publick testimo- 
ny of the grateful sense the colony of New York 
retains of the many eminent services he rendered to 
America, particularly in promoting the repeal of 
the stamp act, Anno Dom. 1770."' 

Un. Now we will adjourn until to-morrow. 



124 ™ HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 



CHAPTER X. 



John. Now, sir, please to go on : for the better I 
understand our history the greater is my anxiety to 
know more of it. 

Un. That is the nature of all knowledge. The 
greater our acquirements, the more delightful is all 
subsequent study. Thus knowledge is "twice bless- 
ed." The people of America were so delighted by the 
repeal of the stamp act that they took no notice of the 
declaration of parliament accompanying it. They 
had resisted ; Great Britain had retracted — they tri- 
umphed. But of all places New York seemed to 
rejoice most. We have seen that they erected a 
statue to Pitt, but they likewise set up an image of 
his most gracious majesty George the Third ! They 
ordered these statues to be made in Europe, during 
the ebullition of gratitude for not having the collar 
and chain put on, seeming to forget that fear alone 
prevented the attempt to rivet the irons by force. 
These statues were ordered ; but before they were 
set up the eyes of most men in America were freed 
from the films created by European jugglers. Still 
the people believed then, and long after, that Lord 
Chatham was their friend, and huzzaed when the 
image was placed at the junction of William and 
Smith streets, in Wall street ; but when the Bow- 
ling Green was prepared by the iron railing, still 
standing, and the equestrian statue of George the 
Third appeared in the centre, mounted on a marble 
pedestal, the event was celebrated only by his officers 
and their dependants ; it was soon tumbled to the dust, 
and has been so forgotten, that grave writers have 
said, "the statue that once stood in the Bowling 
Green of New York, was that of George the 
Second." 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 125 

John. While on the subject, please, sir, to tell us 
the history of this image of royalty. 

Tin. That it may not interrupt the chain of more 
interesting events, I will. The people, as you have 
heard, were so delighted with the success of their 
opposition to the stamp act, that they could not (or 
would not) see the meaning of the declaration that 
the British parliament had a right to bind the colo- 
nies in all cases whatsoever ; their triumph dazzled 
their eyes, and they saw in Mr. Pitt and his master, 
two friends and benefactors. The assembly of New 
York voted money for an equestrian statue of the 
king, and a pedestrian representation of his minister. 
About three years after the statues of Pitt and his roy- 
al master were ordered, they arrived. The necessary 
preparations were made for erecting them, and the 
place of honour, the Bowling Green in front of Fort 
George, was selected for his sacred majesty's image, 
on the spot where the people had burnt the effigy 
of Governor Colden. It was pompously announced 
that this monument was intended to perpetuate the 
memory of the gratitude of his loyal subjects to the 
best of kings. It lasted five years. I suppose all 
was not ready on the 4th of June, the day annually 
celebrated as the happy epoch of his birth, therefore 
the 21st of August, 1770, was selected for placing 
the horse and his ride # r on the pedestal prepared for 
their reception. 

John. Why that day, sir ? 

Un. It being the birthday of his deceased father, 
Frederick, Prince of Wales. 

Wm. O yes, the son of George the Second. 

Tin. He died, you know, without ascending the 
throne. One of our oldest citizens has told me that 
he helped, as a journeyman wheelwright, to make 
the truck on which this ponderous effigy was dragged 
to the Bowling Green, "and the weight tore up the 
11* 



126 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

pavement as it went along," said he. Even the 
gilded image of royalty was burdensome and inju- 
rious. Here is a memorandum of the ceremony, 
cut from a newspaper of the time ; first premising 
that the corporation of the city and members of sev- 
eral incorporated institutions waited on Lieutenant* 
governor Colden, by invitation, at the fort. 

Wm. What became of Sir Henry Moore, sir ? 

Vn. O, he had been long gone and Colden had 
ruled, after him and Dunmore had come and gone, 
all in this short time, and now the old gentleman 
presided, at the elevation of his master on the spot 
selected by the people, formerly, for a very different 
exhibition. 

John. " His majesty's health and other loyal 
toasts were drank, under a discharge of thirty-two 
pieces of cannon from the Battery, accompanied 
with a band of music. This beautiful statue is 
made of metal." 

Vn. The writer did not like to say lead. 

John. " Being the first equestrian one of his pres- 
ent majesty, and is the workmanship of that cele- 
brated statuary, Mr. Wilson, of London. We learn 
that in a few days a marble pedestrian statue of Mr. 
Pitt, will be erected in Wall street." 

Vn. Of that we have already spoken. Thia 
equestrian statue of George the Third stood untiJ 
the summer of 1776, and then was overthrown, and 
(tradition says) converted into musket balls by the 
provincials to. resist his majesty's soldiers. I saw 
this statue in 1775, and the pedestal stood in thfr 
centre of the Bowling Green, as a kind of monu 
ment of departed royalty, and of the plain plat- 
form-simplicity of democracy, for some years aftei 
the revolution ; and I wish it had remained thero 
still, that the memory of the statue it once bore, its 
elevation, and its fall, might have been recalled by 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 127 

the question of every stranger, " What is the mean- 
ing of that vacant pedestal ?" But come, boys, (for 
I see Mary has deserted us to-day,) we must go back 
to 1766, and the arrival of Sir Henry Moore. This 
gentleman was the more acceptable from the unpop- 
ularity of Colden, and affairs were quiet here for a 
short time. But men of discernment saw the de- 
claration of parliament of their sovereignty over the 
colonies, and right to "bind them in all cases what- 
soever," hanging like the sword of Damocles over 
their heads, suspended by a hair. 

Wm. I remember Damocles, sir, in my ancient 
history. 

Un. A man named Charles Townsend cut the 
hair, and the sword fell in the shape of an act of 
parliament levying duties on painters' colours, paper, 
glass, and several other articles, and taking off the 
duties on teas in England, which had there been a 
source of revenue, and levying three pence per 
pound upon all kinds that should be in future pur- 
chased in the colonies. To add to the alarm occa- 
sioned by this additional taxation, the colonists found 
that their governors and judges appointed by Eng- 
land, were to be paid from the revenue raised from 
Americans without their consent, and thus made in- 
dependent, as it respected salaries. Another griev- 
ance which had been partly submitted to was in- 
creased ; this was the quartering of troops on the 
provinces. A denial to obey the orders of the min- 
istry, promulgated by Sir Henry Moore, caused an 
act of parliament suspending New York from all 
powers of legislation, until she complied. This, 
you understand, was annihilating the assembly, the 
representatives of the people, by a stroke of a min- 
isterial pen. 

Wm. But our people did not submit to this ! 

Un. As a part of our own history I must relate 



128 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

some particulars of the transactions of the time 
Sir Henry Moore had declared his instructions, anc 
repeated messages and answers had passed to anc 
fro, when on the 23d of June, 1766, the assembh 
told the governor that they would furnish the bar 
racks of New York and Albany with bedding, fire 
wood, candles, and utensils for cooking, for two bat-i 
talions, not exceeding five hundred men each, and' 
they would do no more. 

Wm. And too much, for soldiers to lord it over 
them ! 

Un. So Mr. McDougal, and Mr. Sears, and many 
others thought ; but Sir Henry and his employers 
thought otherwise, as you shall see. The governor 
wrote to the ministry expressing his surprise, that 
instead of the gratitude he expected for the signal 
favours they had received, the assembly of New 
York evaded the demand made upon them for the 
troops, and only complied in part, "through fear of 
Jie ill-consequences which would attend their re- 
fusing." The ministry wrote to Sir Henry Moore 
requiring cheerful obedience to the act of parlia- 
ment for quartering his majesty's troops. Sir Henry 
repeated his demand upon the assembly, and was 
answered that they had done as much as they could 
do. So early next year the bill was passed to pun- 
ish New York for disobedience, prohibiting the en- 
actment of any law whatsoever in the colony. The 
consequence of this was universal alarm through all 
the colonies, and resolutions not to import European 
goods. Before mentioning any other matters that 
agitated the colonies generally, and New. York in 
particular, I will speak of some further troubles 
arising from the quartering of English soldiers, 
though they happened in 1769. A notice appeared 
in the newspapers censuring the assembly for grant- 
ing 200/. for quartering troops; and calling a meet- 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 129 

ing of the people. Accordingly, on the 18th of De- 
cember, about fourteen hundred of the people met in 
the fields ; resolves were read to them by Mr. John 
Lamb, (afterward a captain in the expedition under 
Montgomery, and long known here as General 
Lamb,) and they announced their dissatisfaction with 
the grant of money abovementioned; and further, that 
they would not grant any thing for the quartering 
and supporting of troops among them. On the 20th, 
Mr. Colden (for Sir Henry Moore died September 
11th, 1769) issued his proclamation, saying that the 
assembly had by resolve declared the paper pub- 
lished on the 16th instant, calling the meeting o£ 
the 18th, to be an infamous libel, and offering a 
reward of 50/. for the discovery of the author. 
Philip Schuyler was alone in the minority on this 
question ; he then took a stand that he never quitted. 
At the meeting in the fields a committee was ap- 
pointed to wait upon the representatives of the city 
in the general assembly, and to communicate these 
resolutions to them; Mr. Lamb, Mr. McDougal, 
and Captain Sears were on this committee. They 
executed their office, were received civilly, but were 
told that the majority of the people approved the act 
of the legislature ; and it was too late to reconsider 
it. Meantime Mr. Lamb was ordered to appear be- 
fore the house of representatives to answer for hav- 
ing proposed the resolutions in the fields. The 
committee immediately announced that they were 
all equally answerable, and Mr. Lamb was dis- 
missed. It was well known that Alexander McDou- 
gal was the writer of the offensive paper; and he 
was subsequently called before the assembly to 
answer to this charge. He refused; as the house had 
already declared the writing a libel. This was con- 
strued "a contempt," and he was committed, that is, 
put in jail ; and remained in prison several months. 



130 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

Thus the assembly appeared in opposition to the 
people. When we next meet I will give you an ac- 
count of the New York liberty pole, and the trou- 
bles the people had to defend it from the attacks of 
the soldiers, whom they were taxed to support in 
idleness, to answer the purpose of their enemies in 
the English parliament. 



CHAPTER XI. 



Wm. Now, Uncle, remember your promise to 
give us the history of the New York liberty pole. 

John. Was the one in New York the first ever 
known, sir? 

XJn. Perhaps the first mast or pole that received 
that appellation. You have read in the history of 
Switzerland that the governor sent by Austria to rule 
in Uri, triumphantly erected a pole, placed a hat 
on it, and ordered the citizens to do homage to the 
emblem of tyranny. 

Wm. That was a tyranny pole ; but brave Wil- 
liam Tell would not bow to it. 

Un. It was erected to celebrate the triumph of 
despotism; here the good people of New York tri- 
umphantly raised a mast in the fields, which, you 
know, was the place of all their great meetings, and 
has been used for like purposes since it has had the 
name of park, because enclosed and ornamented. 
They were delighted that the opposition to the stamp 
act had caused its abrogation ; and were blind to the 
insolent declaration which accompanied the repeal, 
" that the parliament had a right to bind the colo- 
nies in all cases whatsoever." It was enough for 
the moment that Great Britain had been forced to 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 131 

retract. The news of the repeal, which took place 
in March, reached New York in May. Prepara- 
tions were made for celebrating the event, and Sir 
Henry Moore had policy enough to unite the re- 
joicings for a victory obtained by the people with 
the usual demonstrations of loyalty and attachment 
to his master always evinced on the king's birthday. 
By this means he could with propriety join with 
the people in demonstrations of joy. Accordingly 
on the 4th of June, a mast, as it was then called, 
was erected in the fields, inscribed " to his most gra- 
cious majesty George the Third, Mr. Pitt, and Lib- 
erty." It is recorded that an ox was roasted on each 
side of the common ; a large stage was built up, on 
which was placed twenty-five barrels of strong beer, 
a hogshead of rum, with sugar and other materials 
to make punch ; at another part of the fields, or com- 
mon, were preparations for a bonfire, twenty-five 
cords of wood surrounded a pole, to the top of which 
was affixed twelve tar-barrels. At the upper end of the 
fields were placed five and twenty pieces of cannon, 
a flag-staff displayed the colours of England, and a 
band of musick played " God save the king." The 
governor, his council, the magistrates, with their 
civil and military officers, celebrated the day at the 
fort, in all probability, as was customary, by feast- 
ing, and drinking loyal toasts to the sound of mar- 
tial musick, and discharges of artillery. After this 
display of patriotism and loyalty in "the fields, the 
people retired and left the mast standing with the 
inscription to the King, Pitt, and Liberty; and 
they soon had a proof that the rejoicings of the mil- 
itary, and king's officers of every kind, on the 4th 
of June, were not for the repeal of the stamp act, or 
the triumph of the rights of the people. 

John. How, sir? 

Un. On Sunday night, the 10th of August, the 



132 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

mast " was cut down by some of the soldiers of the 
twenty-eighth regiment, quartered in the barracks." 
This was meant as an insult to the inhabitants, and 
felt as such ; but they at first only showed their de- 
termination by meeting on the 11th and preparing 
to erect another " post" in place of that " which had 
been taken down the night before;" to this their 
would-be-masters objected, and interfered. A party 
of soldiers rushed in among them, with their bayo- 
nets in their hands, some sheathed and some un- 
sheathed, and as the depositions of several persons 
state, " cutting and slashing every one that fell in 
their way ; the people retreating, and followed by 
the soldiers as far as Chapel street ;" that is, Beek- 
raan street, which was called Chapel street for many 
years after the building of St. George's chapel. 

Wm. Was there no one to fight these soldiers ? 
Where was Captain Sears ? 

Un. He was at his post, encouraging the people 
to set up another pole ; but he was unarmed, and 
was one that received wounds from the insolent sol- 
diers. The people, however, re-erected the mast to 
the " King, Mr. Pitt, and Liberty;" and the military 
(probably overawed by the threats of the populace 
and restrained by the policy of their superiours) suf- 
fered it to stand until the night of the 18th of March, 
1767, when after the citizens had celebrated the 
day as the anniversary of the repeal, and retired to 
rest, the soldiers cut down the second "mast." 
The next day the inhabitants (or that portion of 
them now distinguished as the "Sons of Liberty") 
erected another, more substantial, and secured with 
iron hoops to a considerable height above the ground. 
The night after this was set up, attempts were made 
to overthrow it, but without success. On Saturday 
night, the 21st of March, there was an attempt to 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 133 

blow it up, by boring a hole and filling it with gun- 
powder; but this also failed. 

Wm. Why didn't the liberty boys keep watch, 
and blow them up? 

Un. Next night a strong watch was set. A small 
company of soldiers appeared, with their coats turn- 
ed, and armed with bludgeons and bayonets; but 
finding that they were expected, they sneaked off 
The next evening about six o'clock a party of armed 
military marched to the post; and as they passed 
the tavern at which the repeal of the stamp act had 
been celebrated, they fired their muskets, two of 
which were pointed at the building. One ball 
passed through the house, and another lodged in a 
piece of its timber. This outrageous attempt at 
murder probably alarmed their superiours, who had 
encouraged them before, for on the next Tuesday, as 
the soldiers were proceeding to the pole, with a lad- 
der, taken from a building then erecting, they were 
turned back by an officer. The governor now issued 
orders for restraining the soldiery, and the attempts 
ceased for a time. 

John. For how long, sir? 

Un. Certainly till the next celebration of the 
king's birthday ; for I find it recorded that on the 
4th of June, 1767, when the "royal salute was fired 
from the fort, it was answered by twenty-one guns 
from the "liberty pole," (now so called,) "on which," 
says the record, "was suspended a union." 

Wm. What is that, sir ? 

Un, A flag so called, which indicated the union 
of England and Scotland. It appears that the " lib- 
erty pole" stood in proud defiance of the soldiers 
and their abetters until the 13th of January, 1770. 
You will remember that I have mentioned the dif- 
ficulties respecting quartering the soldiers, and the 
meeting in the fields, at which the legislature was 
13 



134 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

censured for granting; money to find accommodations 
for the king's troops; and that Mr. Lamb had been 
brought up before the assembly, and Mr. McDougal 
imprisoned for the same affair. 

John. We remember, sir. 

Tin. All this, and many other insolent attempts 
to subdue the spirit of the people, made them more 
determined ; and their opposition excited the rage 
of the king's officers, and of their tools, the soldiers. 
So, on the 13th of January, 1770, a number of men 
belonging to the sixteenth regiment made an at- 
tempt to overthrow the liberty pole, "by sawing off 
the spurs round it," and by exploding gunpowder 
in a hole bored in the wood. The attempt failed, 
and they then attacked some citizens who were near 
Mr. Montanye's publick house, (the place usually 
selected for celebrating the repeal.) The citizens re- 
tired into the house, the soldiers broke the windows 
and entered the tavern bayonet in hand. A thrust 
made at a citizen was parried, and he received a 
slight wound in the forehead ; some officers inter- 
posed, and the ruffians retired to their barracks. 
Three days after, these fellows succeeded better; for 
they cut down the pole. The next day, the 17th of 
January, 1770, a great meeting of the inhabitants 
congregated in the fields, on the spot where the lib- 
erty pole had stood, and resolutions were adopted 
that "any soldiers who should be found out of their 
barracks after the roll was called, should be treated 
as enemies to the peace of the city." The instiga- 
tors of the soldiers caused a handbill to be printed 
in which they made a scurrilous reply to these re- 
solves, and it was attempted to be put up at the cor- 
ners, but this was resisted, and several affrays took 
place in consequence. In one of these, between the 
Fly market and Burling slip, it is said one man was 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 135 

"run through the body, and another had his scull 
split," but the soldiers were defeated. 

John. Why, Uncle, this was a civil war in the 
heart of our city. 

Uii. Very like it, my son. 

Wm. If I had been a man then — 

John. Hush: it did not end there, sir; did it? 

Un. No. The inhabitants now wished to have 
the authority of the corporation for erecting a new 
liberty pole ; so, on the 8th of February, a committee 
of five gentlemen waited on the magistrates, in 
common council, with a petition for authority to erect 
anew, the " pole sacred to constitutional liberty." 
They stated, that as the military had made war upon 
the rights of the people by destroying " the monument 
of gratitude to his majesty and the British patriots," 
the people had repeatedly re-erected others of move 
stability in the place where, "by the approbation of the 
corporation, the first had been fixed." They now 
requested the sanction of the common council to set 
up another, more permanent and better secured, in 
the same spot. This petition was rejected; proba- 
bly the magistracy were willing to remove the cause 
of disquiet, and therefore refused the publick land 
for this use. This did not defeat the intentions of 
the ; 'sons of liberty." They found a piece of ground 
eleven feet wide and one hundred feet long (near 
the first spot) that was private property — this they 
purchased. Here a hole was dug twelve feet deep, 
to receive a -mast prepared at the shipyards. This 
piece of timber, of great length, they cased all around 
with iron bars, placed lengthwise and riveted with 
large flat rivets, so as to extend near two-thirds of 
the height from the ground ; and over these bars 
they encircled the mast with iron hoops, near 
half an inch thick, and when finished they had it 
drawn through the streets by six horses, decorated 



136 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

with ribands, and three flags flying inscribed with 
the words, " Liberty and Property." The pole 
was raised without any accident, amidst the shouts 
of the people, while a band of French-horns play- 
ed " God save the king." This mast was strong- 
ly secured in the earth by timbers and great stones. 
On the top was raised another mast twenty-two 
feet in height, with a gilt vane, and the word Lib- 
erty, in large letters. 

Wm. So all they got by cutting down the others 
was, that the people dropped Mr. Pitt and the king. 
I dare say Captain Sears was at the head of this. 
But was Mr. McDougal in jail all the while ? 

Un. At this time he was still in confinement, but 
the people paid him every honour in testimony of 
their approbation, and not only the gentlemen, but 
the ladies of the city thronged to the prison to cheer 
him and show their opposition to the ruling powers. 
A few days after the setting up of the great liberty 
pole, forty-five gentlemen went in procession to the 
new jail and dined with Captain McDougal, having 
forty-five pounds of beefsteak, and observing the 
number forty-five in every thing brought on the table. 

Wm. Why, Uncle? 

John. I know ; you will read about Wilkes and 
his "North Briton. 11 

Un. Number forty-five of a paper written by 
John Wilkes was presented as a libel in England, 
and was popular : this made a resemblance between 
Captain McDougal's case and Mr. Wilkes's. At the 
next celebration of the repeal of the stamp act, the 
inhabitants again paid a publick compliment to the 
imprisoned patriot. A great' number dined at Mon- 
tanye's publick house, near the liberty pole, which 
tavern they called " Hampden Hall," after the great 
Hampden who opposed Charles the First. 

John. I know, sir. 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 137 

Un. On the top of Hampden Hall, and on the 
liberty pole, they had colours flying. The compa- 
ny at dinner was three hundred, and they nomi- 
nated ten of their number to dine with Captain Mc- 
Dougal at his chamber in the jail. 

Wm. That was right. 

Un. After dinner the company marched from 
Hampden Hall to the liberty pole, and thence down 
Beekman street, and through Queen street to the 
Coffee-house; thence up Wall street to Broadway, 
and to the liberty pole again, where they dispers- 
ed. This celebration seems to have roused the 
ire of the royal party, and on Monday the 24th of 
March, they encouraged their tools, the soldiers, to 
attack the liberty pole again. Near midnight they 
attempted to unship, that is, to unfasten, the topmast; 
but some citizens discovered them and alarmed 
others, who repaired to the consecrated spot ; these 
the soldiers attacked and drove off, but more ar- 
rived ; the soldiers were reinforced from the bar- 
racks : the citizens rung the Chapel bell ; on which, 
and seeing the number of inhabitants increasing, 
the soldiers retreated, and a guard was kept up at 
the pole all night. This was the last attack that 
was made by these English mercenaries, who had 
sworn, it is said, to carry part of it with them on 
their voyage to Pensacola, for which place they em- 
barked a few days after ; a riot took place in 1775, 
at which time, first appears in our story the no- 
torious Provost Cunningham ; but of that, here- 
after. 

Wm. But when, sir, did Captain McDougal get 
out of jail ? 

Un. On the 30th of April, this same year, 1770, 

the grand jury found a bill against him for a libel, 

to which he pleaded not guilty, and was admitted to 

bail; himself in 500/., and two sureties each in 250/. 

12* 



138 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

John. What, sir, were all the ruling men against 
him? 

Un. It would seem so ; for you have heard that 
no one of the house of assembly opposed the perse- 
cution of this gentleman but Col. Philip Schuyler. 

Wm. Brave Colonel Schuyler ! I shall love him 
as much as I always did Colonel Peter Schuyler 
that the Indians called Quidder. 

Un. When I come to speak to you of Philip 
Schuyler's actions, you will find that you ought to 
love him even more. But now we must go back 
again to the year 1766. 

Mary. Uncle, you promised to finish the story 
of the princess. 

Un. True. And as I know little more about 
her, I will tell it now : first I must remind you that 
part of what I told you respecting her was only my 
own conjecture to account for her being able to de- 
ceive people as she really did. 

John. You explained that, sir. Was there such 
a person as Tom Bell ? 

Un. O, yes. But I do not know that he ever 
met with Sarah Wilson. AH I know further of 
the latter, is soon told. In Rivington's Gazette of 
May 13th, 1773, I found (besides the advertise- 
ment of Michael Dalton offering a reward for Sarah 
Wilson) the story of her robbing Miss Vernon, 
being condemned to be hanged, being transported 
and sold, running away from Dalton and carrying 
off clothes and jewels ; and of her passing herself 
off for the Princess Susanna Carolina Matilda, and 
promising governments and offices to such as did 
her homage and lent her money. Then again, in 
September, appeared the following paragraph. I 
copied it. Read it : 

John. "September 2d, 1773; on Tuesday last ar- 
rived in this city, a person who styles herself the 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 139 

Marchioness de Waldegrave, and is supposed to be 
the same mentioned in the papers as Sarah Wilson, 
alias, the Lady Carolina Matilda. She still insists 
on her high pretensions, and makes the same im- 
pressions on many as she did in the south." . This 
is very curious, sir. 

Un. I think so. You observe that in October, 
1771, she is advertised as a runaway slave; is pur- 
sued ; and one account says that Dalton arrived in 
Charleston, South Carolina, in pursuit of her short- 
ly after she had departed on a visit to a plantation. 
Yet here she appears again in New York, two 
years after, making the same high pretensions, but 
under another name and title. 

John. How could she escape 1 What curious 
adventures she must have had during those two 
years ! 

Wm. Is this all you know of her, Uncle? 

Un. Not quite. I have made many inquiries 
both here and in Philadelphia, in vain. But being 
in company with a lady whose age entitled her to 
remember something of the year 1773, I asked her 
if she had ever heard of such a person. She im- 
mediately replied, " What, the princess ? O, yes ! I 
remember her well. When I was a little girl I 
met her at the house of a gentleman in New York, 
and she attracted my attention by her appearance 
and manners. It so happened that I was going to 
Perth Amboy, and from thence to South Amboy ; 
she hearing this, made an appointment to go with me, 
and the family at whose house I met her arranged 
that it should be so. She had an introduction to a 
gentleman at Perth Amboy ; but whether from her 
troublesome manners, or some suspicions that at this 
time attached to her, she was coldly received, and 
insisted on accompanying me to South Amboy, there 
to take the stage for Philadelphia, She required a 



140 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

great deference to be paid her, and made all the 
family at South Amboy attend upon her devotions, 
she reading prayers to them ; but what annoyed me 
most, she insisted upon my sleeping with her, and I 
had such dread of, or dislike to, her, that I stole out 
of bed when she fell asleep, and made my escape to 
the lad}'- of the house. The next day she departed 
for Philadelphia. I had quite forgotten the prin- 
cess, and perhaps should never again have thought 
of her, if you had not asked me the question." 
Thus, Mary, ends the story of the princess, for I 
never heard more of her. 

Win. Perhaps she gained her liberty from her 
master ; perhaps she repented and was a good woman. 

Un. Perhaps so: we will hope so. To-morrow 
Ave will resume our history of New York. 



CHAPTER XII. 

Un. You have already heard from me the events 
that agitated our city during the disputes relative 
to quartering troops : and the riots arising from the 
insolence of the soldiers in cutting down the liberty 
pole. 

Wm. Was it net unaccountable, sir, that the mil- 
itary should dare to insult the citizens as they did? 

Un. No. For they saw that the colonists were 
considered and spoken of by the great men of Eng- 
land, not only as inferiours, but as a kind of proper- 
ty. They saw that governors were sent out merely 
to serve the purposes of Great Britain, and to make 
fortunes as rewards for services done at home; not 
only governors, but other officers. It was notorious 
that two successive chief-justices of New Jersey 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK, HI 

vere, the one incompetent, the other infamous. 
The military officers of England looked with con- 
tempt on the provincials, whether holding his majes- 
ty's commission in the army, or as private citizens : 
(the latter were called by them Mohairs:) the soldiery 
of course caught the same opinions from their com- 
manders. John, read this extract from a letter writ- 
ten by a friend to Major Horatio Gates. It is a 
specimen of the diseasedly arrogant feeling which 
generated the American war, and was cured by it. 
Major Gates was at the time at Pittsburg, and his 
brother officer writes as it was the custom of these 
English military gentlemen to speak. 

John. M I send you a copy of Mr. Hughs's impu- 
dent letter, by which you may judge to what degree 
of insolence the rabble of this country will raise 
if they are not brought down, from home. This fel- 
low was a baker lately, then a wagoner, and now, 
as an assemblyman, he thinks himself entitled to 
write to me in this style. Such letters should be 
answered with a stick, if the necessity of the service 
did not tie our hands." 

Un. Thus one of those subalterns spoken of by 
Mr. Pitt as fit for governors of any of the colonies, 
writes to another, when mentioning a member of 
a provincial assembly, " the rabble of this country." 

John. If such was the way gentlemen talked and 
acted, it accounts for the insolence of the English 
soldiers. About the time of which you are giving 
us a history, I believe, sir, the unhappy disputes 
between New York and Massachusetts respecting 
their boundaries took place. 

Un. True, and with New Hampshire: for the 
governor of that province persisted in claiming and 
selling the country, now Vermont, even after refer- 
ring the dispute to the king, and after his decision 
in favour of New York. At this time too, our 



142 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

neighbour, New Jersey, was much troubled by a 
desperate band of counterfeiters, and by the robbery 
of the treasury, which for a time was involved in 
great mystery ; but it was afterward found that the 
same gang of forgers and counterfeiters were like- 
wise the robbers. 

John. You have mentioned to us a great many 
causes of discontent which existed before the quar- 
rel with England came to a positive and open war, 
but I confess I do not understand the subject fully. 

Wm. I wish we had come to the story of the war. 

Un. Ah, boy, you are like many that are older; 
but war is always a sad story. It is necessary that 
you should know the cause of the bloody conflict 
of which I am to speak, that your feelings may be 
enlisted on the side of justice. When England 
deprived New York of the power to make laws 
until she obeyed the orders for quartering and pro- 
viding for any troops that the king might send to 
be in readiness to enforce his orders, it alarmed all 
the provinces ; for they said if this is done to New 
York, it maybe done to us. So the people entered 
into resolutions not to import goods from Great 
Britain until their grievances were redressed. They 
complained of many unjust prohibitions. Their 
country was full of iron, and they were prohibited 
from manufacturing it for their own use, or of 
making it into steel ; they were obliged to send it 
to England and bring it back again, at a great unne- 
cessary expense ; and so of the hats they wore, they 
must send the material home, for the benefit of Eng- 
lish hatters; if they made any woollen goods, they 
were prevented carrying them from one province 
to another. Articles that they could sell to foreign 
countries they were obliged to carry first to Eng- 
land; and other things, that they bought of foreign 
nations, they were forced to carry to some port in 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 143 

Great Britain and pay duties on them before they 
could bring them to their real homes for sale, or 
use. But above all, they complained that the jails 
of England were emptied upon them ; making the 
colonies a receptacle for the English rogues and 
villians — their traitors and felons. 

Wm. Tom Bells and Sarah Wilsons. 

John. What was the particular cause of quarrel 
about the tea, sir? 

Uu. Simply this. To raise a revenue, the Eng- 
lish parliament laid a tax of so much a pound on 
the article, if Americans imported it from Great 
Britain ; and they were prohibited bringing it from 
China. So they said, "Well, we will do without 
it." But that did not suit England ; for it reduced 
the profits of the East India Company, a great body 
of merchants, who were bound to pay to the treasu- 
ry 400,000/. sterling a year, as long as their profits 
amounted to a certain sum. So, as America would 
not import tea, the ministry gave the merchants 
permission to send it to the colonies, that the duty 
might be paid in England, and the profits of the 
East India Company kept up to that amount which 
required them to pay the 400,000/. 

John. Now I understand, sir. And the Ameri- 
cans determined not to have the tea forced upon 
them by this scheme of the English parliament, to 
get a duty on it, and at the same time save the 
400,000/. sterling a year. 

Un. Just so. I shall say as little as possible 
about the transactions at Boston, because you have 
read, and must read, in every history of America 
the details respecting throwing the tea into the 
harbour, and the other events of that time. We 
will confine ourselves as much as possible to New 
York. Some of the stories I have told you of what 
happened respecting informers, and in consequence 



144 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

of attempting to press sailors, took place in 1768 
and 1769, and there were many violent movements 
among the people that grew out of the resolutions 
not to import goods ; for some merchants tried to 
introduce English manufactures contrary to the 
agreement they had entered into ; and the people in 
some instances seized the articles and made their 
owners send them back. During all these troubles 
Sir Henry Moore was governor, that is, from 1765 
to September the 11th, 1769, at which time he died; 
and although he, as a matter of course, endeavoured 
to carry into effect the orders of his masters in Eng- 
land, he conducted himself with a degree of pru- 
dence that caused his death to be regretted, espe- 
cially as Lieutenant-governor Colden was very un- 
popular, and the government of course devolved 
again on him. It was soon after this, that Mr. 
McDougal was put in prison, as I have told you, 
for calling the people together in the fields when 
they censured the assembly for voting 200/. to find 
accommodations for the English soldiers. In this 
affair Captain Sears was a prominent man, and to 
punish him, he was accused of neglecting his duty 
as inspector of potash. He desired to be heard in 
his defence, but the majority in the house of assem- 
bly refused to attend to his petition. At this time 
two distinguished patriots were in a small minority 
of the assembly, and their votes in favour of Mr. 
Sears were of no avail. In consequence, he pub- 
lished several affidavits contradicting the charges 
made against him, and resigned the office of in- 
spector of pot and pearl ashes. 

John. Who were the gentlemen you mean, sir, 
that were in the minority? 

Un. Philip Schuyler, and George Clinton ; both 
glorious names in the war that followed. Nathan- 
iel Woodhuli acted with them at this time, and after j 



HI8T0RY OF NEW YORK. 145 

but a great majority of the house of assembly were 
against them. 

John. The people would have a poor chance 
when the majority of their representatives were 
opposed to them, for the council and governor being 
appointed by the king would be sure to be enemies 
to liberty. 

Un. But you will soon see, (as was the case 
about the stamp act,) that when oppression becomes 
too barefaced and heavy, the people will be too 
strong for any set of men placed over them by for- 
eign influence. I see, boy, you have a clear view 
of the government of the old colony, when two 
parts out of three were the creatures of the king 
or ministry of Great Britain. The only security 
which the third part had was the power of origi- 
nating all money bills and grants for the salaries of 
governors, judges, and other officers; and it was the 
constant endeavour of these governors, and of the 
ministry of Great Britain to wrest this (their only) 
security from them. The governors endeavoured 
to force the assemblies to give them a permanent 
salary instead of that granted annually ; and the 
ministry used art and coercion to impose taxes, one 
purpose of which was to establish a treasury in 
America, therewith to make the king's governors, 
and other officers, independent of the assembly. 
Now I think you have attended long enough to 
these affairs, and deserve to hear of something con- 
nected with our history that will be more enter- 
taining. 

Wm. O, the Indians! the Indians! 

Un. First I will give you something of a famous 
mountebank. 

John. What, a mountebank in America, sir 1 

Un. We have had many men deserving the 
appellation, but about the time of which we are 
13 



146 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

speaking there appeared here, and travelled through 
most of the provinces, a real European mountebank 
quack-doctor ; selling nostrums from a moveable 
stage, and accompanied by a clown to play tricks 
and talk nonsense, (such as circus-riders have to 
amuse the vulgar,) and a tumbler to astonish by his 
postures. 

John. Such a person would not be tolerated now, 
sir, I think. 

Un. No. The very rabble would hoot him from 
his stage, and pelt him with pebbles instead of buy 
ing his pills. I mention him to show you the dif- 
ference between the feelings of the publick at that 
time and this. When I was a little boy like you, 
Philip, the mountebank I speak of, Doctor Yeldal, 
came once a year to the town I lived at in New 
Jersey, and to my great delight mounted his stage 
dressed in a handsome suit according to the fashion 
of that time, with a powdered wig, laced ruffles, 
and small-sword. A man dressed in a fantastick 
clownish habit, with a fool's cap on his head, amu- 
sed the crowd of villagers by asking questions of 
the doctor respecting the cures he performed, and 
occasionally making remarks to excite the laughter 
of the audience. The doctor praised his medicines 
and exhibited a number of pill boxes, assuring the 
people that in o?ie of them was a gold ring, so that 
some person among the purchasers would not only 
possess the invaluable medicine, but a valuable 
piece of gold, and all to be obtained at the cheap 
rate of two shillings. While the doctor pocketed 
the money of his dupes, the clown, who was ad- 
dressed as " Mister Merryman," continued his an- 
ticks, and had an auxiliary to aid his attraction in 
Mr. Quicksilver, the tumbler, — a very beautiful 
youth, who walked on his hands, threw somersets, 
and showed other feats of dexterity and activity. 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 117 

Mary. What is a somerset, Uncle 1 

Un. Throwing one's self heels over head, and ap- 
pearing erect again without having, apparently, 
touched the floor or ground, is called by tumblers 
" throwing a somerset." 

John. In this way, sir, I suppose the quack-doctor 
made a great deal of money. 

Un. No doubt ; and gave me, as a child, great 
amusement. This was a short time before the rev- 
olution. I always remembered this extraordinary 
exhibition, but for many years heard nothing more 
of Doctor Yeldal, Mr. Merryman, or Quicksil- 
ver; but not long since, I found in an old paper, 
"Holt's New York Journal," of 1771, this para- 
graph. Read it. 

John. " A stranger, lately arrived here, who calls 
himself Doctor Anthony Yeldal, and sells medi- 
cines from a stage, who, by his harangues, the odd 
tricks of his Merry Andrew, and the surprising 
feats of activity of his little boy, highly diverts the 
people ; he has for several weeks past exhibited at 
Bruklyn." Brooklyn is spelt here with a u instead 
of double o. 

Un. Perhaps a mistake of the printer. Go on. 

John. " Bruklyn on Long Island, to which place, 
it is said, several thousand of people, mostly from 
this city, have flocked to see him every day of his 
exhibition. On Monday last, a great multitude, as 
usual, having attended him, on their return to cross 
the ferry, the boats being insufficient to carry them 
all, were prodigiously crowded ; every one got in 

as soon as he could, and when the boat was " 

Here, sir, the paper is torn of£ and what more hap 
pened is lost. 

Un. So, so ! I have worn it out in my pocket, 
and my memory must supply the rest. These idle 
people, many of whom, as is still too much the cus- 



148 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

torn, being from home had drank strong liquors at 
the tavern and ferry-house, and all elated by the 
holyday-show they had seen, crowded helter skel- 
ter into the ferry-boat ; until finding that if more 
jumped in she would be too deeply laden, they 
pushed off from the shore without the boatmen, and 
immediately found themselves hurried away at the 
mercy of the tide, which, as you know, is very 
strong and rapid between the city of New York 
and Brooklyn. Away they went — men, women, 
and children, crying, screaming, shouting, and quar- 
relling ; in this helpless state the boat struck on a 
rock, and a hole was broken through the bottom, 
into which the water poured rapidly; she passed 
over the first and struck on another rock — 

John. Were the passengers drowned, sir ? 

Un. They had neither skill nor energy to save 
themselves, and it being evening, the people on shore 
thought their cries were a continuation of the un- 
ruly noises they had made while embarking, until 
they saw them throwing out water with their hats 
to prevent the boat from sinking; then, some skilful 
men, in other boats, put off to their assistance and 
saved them from the effects of their folly. 

Win. What became of this mountebank and his 
Merryman and Quicksilver'? 

Un. I have heard that Yeldal purchased an estate 
in the northeastern part of this province. Of the 
beautiful boy Quicksilver, I know nothing; but 
Mister Merryman makes his appearance again in 
another newspaper paragraph and in another char- 
acter ; he enlisted as a soldier in one of the conti- 
nental regiments, and was the delight of his fellow- 
soldiers as a companion; but he and some of his 
comrades having the spirit of licentiousness, in addi- 
tion to that of Jamaica rum, too strong upon them, 
attempted to rob a farmer near their encampment, 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 149 

who making resistance lost his life; the conse- 
quence was, that Mr. Merry man's last appearance 
before the publick was on a gallows. 

Wm. Poor Mr. Merryman ! he made a sad end. 

John. In former times, executions must have been 
frequent. 

Tin. Yes. The humane institutions of prisons for 
preventing crimes, or reforming criminals, had not 
been introduced. The pillory, the whipping-post, 
lashes at the cart's-tail, branding with a hot iron, 
and cropping the ears, were inflicted as punishments 
when the aid of the gallows and the stake were not 
called in. 

John. Some of the pirates that infested the Amer- 
ican seas, must have been caught and punished in 
this city, I should think? 

Un. Certainly. I will give you one instance, 
the circumstances of which were somewhat remark- 
able. About the time we have been speaking of, 
that is, in May, 1769 or '70, the court of admiralty of 
the province of New York, consisting of the gov- 
ernor and council, the judge of admiralty, and some 
others, tried and condemned Joseph Andrews as a 
pirate, for the murder of Captain RulufF Duryee, 
and several sailors, on the coast of Africa, on board 
Duryee's vessel, in the month of September, 1766. 
And on the meeting of the court a few days after, 
for the purpose of trying Stephen Porter, another 
pirate, for the murder of the captain and crew of a 
Bristol ship, on the coast of Guinea, when the pris- 
oner was sent for he was found dead, having hanged 
himself (by the string which supported his irons) 
to a bar of the prison window. A coroner's inquest 
being held, pronounced the deed " self-murder," and 
he was sentenced to be buried "at the upper end of 
the Bowery lane, with a stake stuck through the 
body, which sentence was executed accordingly." 
13* 



150 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

As to Andrews, he was "hanged in chains on a 
high gallows, on the most conspicuous part of Bed- 
low's island." Such spectacles as these were often 
exhibited to the people in "the good old times." 
Now, children, to your books. To-morrow when 
we meet I will talk to you of the Indians of the 
Six Nations. 



CHAPTER XIII. 

Wm. Now, Uncle, you will tell us of the Indian 
wars. 

Un. I will endeavour to give you a notion of this 
strange people before commencing the history of 
the revolutionary war; and to do it, we must look 
back again to the early times of New York. First 
I will mention to you that New York, among other 
proofs that its boundary line was the west side of 
Connecticut river, and that the province extended 
northward to the St. Lawrence or Canada line, 
averred, that the Five Nations, the Mohawks, Onei- 
das, Onondagas, Cayugas, and Senecas, had been 
subdued, and had submitted to the governors of New 
York, by treaties, as early as 1683. These Five 
Nations were, by the French, called Iroquois. They 
were a powerful confederacy of distinct tribes, and 
had conquered the other native tribes from the great 
lakes to the ocean. New York claimed, from their 
submission, the exclusive right to purchase their 
lands from them, and to have jurisdiction over the 
country when purchased and settled. The country 
on both sides Lake Champlain belonged to the Five 
Nations ; and in the ancient maps, that water is called 
Lake Iroquois. New York, you know, likewise 
claimed all this country as being surrendered to 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 151 

England by the Dutch, and granted by the king 
to the Duke of York; and the contending claims 
of the New England colonies caused jealousies be- 
tween them and New York, that unhappily remained 
to the time of our revolution, and proved very inju- 
rious to Philip Schuyler, who was a patriotick mem- 
ber of the New York assembly at the time of these 
disputes; and one of the best of men. Of this con- 
troversy, and of the wars of the French with the 
Five Nations, you are informed in some measure, 
and must read more by and by. 

John. Yes, sir. But please to tell us of the trou- 
bles with the Indians afterward; and of their history. 

Un. I will endeavour to give you some ideas re- 
specting this interesting race, that in the course of 
our history, you may better understand the events 
in which they were actors. You. know, John, 
when Europeans discovered that there was such a 
continent as America, and such islands as those we 
call the West Indies, a people essentially different 
from the whites and from the negroes were found 
on both. The discoverers were in search of the East 
Indies, and they chose to call these savages Indians. 
You, John, have read the voyages of Columbus, and 
the Conquest of South America by the Spaniards. 

Wm. And so have I, Uncle. 

Un. Very well. Our business is only with that 
division of these widely extended nations which is 
adjacent to our own state; and more particularly 
those who were inhabitants of the province of New 
York. I would not, if I could, burden your memo- 
ries with the names of every tribe, or even with 
the various appellations given by writers to any one 
portion of this race. We will call the Indians who 
were scattered over the middle provinces, the Del- 
awares, (and they are likewise called the Leni-le- 
nape ;) and those of New York, Long Island, and 



152 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

the neighbourhood, Mohegans. Now it happened 
that a distinct portion of the savage race came from 
the north and west, long before the white people 
began to settle in the country, who were greater 
warriours than the Delawares or the Mohegans, and 
they conquered all the country from Montreal, up 
the river St. Lawrence, and about lakes Ontario and 
Erie, and to the Ohio river; and all that is now the 
state of New York, almost to the seashore; per- 
haps quite, for the Indians of Long Island paid them 
tribute. 

John. This people was the Iroquois. 

U?i. So called by the French ; and by the Eng- 
lish the Six Nations. As we shall have more to do 
with them than most others, we must remember the 
name of each tribe, or nation, and the places occu- 
pied by them within our state. Five of these na- 
tions formed a confederacy, and carried on their 
plans of conquest in conjunction; which shows an 
advance in civilization and policy. 

John. The names of these five, sir, I remember. 
They were the Mohawks, Oneidas, Onondagas, 
Cavugas, and Senecas. 

tin. The Mohawk river marks the situation of 
the first, who extended to Johnstown, where the 
agent for the English, Sir William Johnson, lived 
among them ; they are now altogether lemoved 
from us ; but some of them remain in Canada. 
The name of Oneida county, tells us where that tribe 
lived. Onondaga-Holiow contains still a portion 
of the Onondagas ; Cayuga lake and river, which 
you see on the map, informs us who lived there ; 
and a few r Senecas occupy a part of their old sta- 
tion near Lake Erie. The Five Nations were in 
the height of their power and pride about the time 
that the Dutch built their trading-houses at New 
York and Albany. It was long after this, perhaps 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 153 

in 1712, that another nation were driven from the 
south, and having some similarity of language with 
the Five Nations, they were received and incorpo- 
rated among them as a sixth ; therefore we will 
call the confederacy, the Six Nations. This last- 
mentioned tribe was the Tuscarora, a few of whom 
I found twenty years ago on the Niagara near Lew- 
istown. 

Phil. O, Uncle, have you been among the Indians? 

Un. Yes, my son, among the remains of this 
once powerful confederacy, now a poor, despised, dir- 
ty remnant of outcasts. 

i John. It appears surprising to me, sir, that peo- 
ple in a savage state should have formed a kind of 
federal republick. Is there any tradition of the 
causes that led to it? 

Un. When I was among the Indians (as Philip 
says) I became acquainted with a man named Web- 
ster, residing near the Onondaga river, who had 
been in childhood, and long before the American 
revolution, carried from a settlement on the frontiers, 
and adopted into an Indian family. He grew up 
among this people, learned their language, their 
customs, and was educated in all things as one of 
them. He said that the happy thought of union for 
defence originated with an inferiour chief of theOnon- 
dagas: who perceiving that although the five tribes 
were alike in language, and had by co-operation 
conquered a great extent of country, yet that they 
had frequent quarrels and no head or great council, 
to reconcile them ; and that while divided, the west- 
ern Indians attacked and destroyed them ; seeing 
this, he conceived the bright idea of union, and of a 
great council of the chiefs of the Five Nations : this, 
he said, and perhaps thought, came to him in a 
dream ; and it was afterward considered as coming 
from the Great Spirit. He proposed this plan in 



154 HISTOPwY OF NEW YORK. 

a council of his tribe, but the principal chief op- 
posed it. He was a great warriour, and feared to 
lose his influence as head man of the Onondagas. 
This was a selfish man. The younger chief, who 
we will call Oweko, was silenced : but he determin- 
ed in secret to attempt the great political work. 
This was a man who loved the welfare of others. 
To make long journeys and be absent for several 
days while hunting would cause no suspicion, be- 
cause it was common. He left home as if to hunt; 
but taking a circuitous path through the woods, for 
all this great country was then a wilderness, he 
made his way to the village or castle of the Mo- 
hawks. He consulted some of the leaders of that 
tribe, and they received the scheme favourably : he 
visited the Oneidas, and gained the assent of their 
chief; he- then returned home. After a time he 
made another pretended hunt, and another; thus, by 
degrees, visiting the. Cayugas and Senecas, and gain- 
ing the assent of all to a great council to be held at 
Onondaga. With consummate art he then gained 
over his own chief, by convincing him of the ad- 
vantages of the confederacy, and agreeing that he 
should be considered as the author of the plan. The 
great council met, and the chief of the Onondagas 
made use of a figurative argument, taught him by 
Oweko, which was the same that we read of in the 
fable, where a father teaches his sons the value 
of union by taking one stick from a bundle, and 
showing how feeble it was, and easily broken, and 
that when bound together the bundle resisted his ut- 
most strength. 

Wm. I remember it, sir. But how did the In- 
dian know the fable. 

Tin. He did not know it. But this mode of il- 
lustrating a truth would readily occur to a man of 
acuteness in a savage state ; and might be suggested 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 155 

to various persons who know nothing of the thoughts 
of each other. 

John, Is this the generally received opinion of 
the origin of this famous confederacy? 

tin. I know not of any generally received opin- 
ion. Some authors say it existed from time imme- 
morial; others tell us that the five tribes lived origi- 
nally about the Grand river in Canada, and were 
dependants on a greater people, and by forming a 
confederacy liberated themselves, and became con- 
querors of nations to the south; but my friend Web- 
ster's account is as good as any, for any thing I see. 
He had it from the people, among whom he lived 
as one of themselves ; it was a tradition, and of the 
early history of such people tradition is all we can 
have. 

Wm. Uncle, was Mr. Webster like an Indian? 
How was he dressed? 

Un. He had been long restored to his place among 
white men, and Christians ; and was, in appearance, 
like other cultivators of the soil. He lived in the 
Onondaga valley, on his own land, near to the re- 
mains of that tribe; and was beloved by them. He 
was their interpreter in all communications with the 
whites, and they looked up to him as to a father. 
When his corn was ripe they came and gathered it 
in : at the time of haymaking they flocked to his 
meadows to assist ; and the women were as eager 
as the men to aid him and his family in all their 
agricultural labours. 

John. But the women do all the labour among 
their own people. 

Un. That's true ; when they are in the hunter 
state. I will tell you how Webster apologized for 
this. The man is expected to traverse mountain 
and valley in pursuit of game, and to bring home 
the spoils of the chase. The woman does the work 



156 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

at home ; she plants and gathers the corn, prepares 
the food, attends to the children and instructs them 
until a certain age, if boys ; if girls, to maturity. 
The man is a warriour as well as a hunter, and 
must always be ready to defend his family, or 
to attack an enemy. " You have noticed," said 
Webster, " a woman loaded with her child, and per- 
haps a basket tied to her back almost as big as her- 
self, and filled with corn or other produce, and a man 
walking before her unencumbered, bearing nothing 
but a bow and arrows or a gun and ammunition ; 
this, remains of their old customs; for though these 
people about me are no longer hunters or warriours, 
they appear, on a journey, in the manner of their 
ancestors ; the woman bearing the burden, and the 
man stalking on before, as her guardian. 

Wm. Uncle, I wish you would tell us more of 
what you learned from Mr. Webster, for he must 
have known these people better than men who only 
visited them for a few days. 

Un. If I talk about what the Indians now are, 
how shall we get on with our history of their for- 
mer wars, and of what happened in our state during 
the revolution? 

John. As the customs of the people remain in 
many respects the same, and were very little changed 
when Webster resided among them, that which 
he told you will give us a clearer notion of the 
transactions belonging to our history. What did 
he say of their religion, sir ? 

Un. He represented them as believers in one 
God ; called by them the Great Spirit, from whom 
all good comes to men. They have no distinct no- 
tion of any revelation from him except in dreams ; 
and occasionally some one among them, more artful 
than the rest, pretends to an intercourse with the 
Great Spirit by this medium, and gains thereby 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 157 

great influence for good and evil. It is said that 
formerly most of the Indians believed likewise in an 
evil spirit, and propitiated him by sacrifices. But a 
native of the Tuscaroras who had been educated 
among the whites, and has published a book since I 
saw Mr. Webster, tells us that they have, subsequent 
to their intercourse with civilized men, in a great 
measure, abandoned that belief and practice. Web- 
ster told me that they observed four annual religious 
meetings, at which they offered burnt sacrifices. 
One was at the time of planting their corn ; one 
when it was fit for eating in its green, or soft, or 
milky state — 

Wm. The time we have " hot corn" cried in the 
streets. 

Un. Yes ; and when we make suckatash, by boil- 
ing it with beans, which is a delicious dish, that we 
owe to the Indians. Their third religious celebra- 
tion, which appears to be, like the last, a meeting 
for thanksgiving, is when the corn is hard and fit 
for gathering in as winter food ; and the last is in 
the winter, and if I remember aright, is to ask for 
success in their hunting. They have a belief in a 
future state, and in rewards and punishments after 
death. Some of their ceremonies have induced peo- 
ple to think that they are the descendants of the lost 
tribes of Israel. 

John. Do you think so, sir ? 

Un. As far as I have any definite opinion on so 
dark a subject, I attribute their origin to the Tar- 
I tars, a people they resemble more than any other. 

John. They are celebrated for hospitality. 

Un. All nations in a savage state are hospitable. 

John. And does refinement, knowledge, civiliza- 
tion, and riches, make men hard-hearted and inhos- 
pitable ? 

Un, No. The rich and enlightened inhabitant 
14 



158 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

of New York is in every respect better than the 
savage. But he cannot receive into his house every 
stranger that knocks at his door. The state of so- 
ciety forbids. The stranger that comes to a great 
city finds a home with a relative or friend ; or at a 
house open and prepared for his reception, called a 
boarding-house or a hotel. But remove the rich 
inhabitant of the city to a place distant from society, 
on a plantation abounding with wealth, and his doors 
will be as open to the wanderer as those of any 
Arab of the desert, or Indian of the wilderness. 

John. But, sir, are not the poor more disposed to 
relieve the distresses of others than the rich % 

Un. That is a question distinct from hospitality. 
Riches are sore temptations. And those who expe- 
rience poverty may have a fellow-feeling for the 
poor. Yet poverty may, when united to ignorance, 
harden the heart; and riches may lead to that know- 
ledge which teaches to love our neighbour as our- 
selves ; and that our neighbour is every creature 
endowed with worth or oppressed by misfortune. 
Both poor and rich may have this salutary know- 
ledge ; without which both are poor. 

Wm. But, Uncle, I want to hear more of the 
Indians. 

Un. Ay, boy, let us go on. 

John. You said, sir, that these pretended pro- 
phets, or impostors, made use of their influence for 
good and for evil. Can good come from deceit? 

Un. Well questioned, my son. A temporary 
good we know has been occasionally produced by 
such base and unworthy means; unworthy of the 
good cause, and liable to be the forerunner of last- 
ing evil : for falsehood is sooner or later unveiled, 
and those who have been deceived into doing good 
may return with redoubled force to the practice of 
evil. There is no sure foundation for good, but 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 159 

truth. Mr. Webster told me of good produced by 
the commands of a pretended prophet who said 
that the Great Spirit forbade the drinking of any- 
intoxicating liquors. You know that the white peo- 
ple introduced this practice among the Indians ; and 
the Onondagas as well as others had been reduced 
to the degraded state of drunkards, whenever they 
could procure the poison that was destroying them. 
They listened to this man, who with good intent 
told falsehood to recommend truth. He told them 
that the use of spirituous liquors was destroying 
them: that the whites made them drunk to cheat 
them; this was truth. But he enforced it by pre- 
tending that the Great Spirit appeared to him 
and ordered him to speak to his favoured Ononda- 
gas. They obeyed, and strictly refrained. The 
consequence was better health, more industry, and a 
reputation for truth and honesty, which contrasted 
with the character of their neighbours the Oneidas, 
who were so conscious of their own inferiority, that 
if a stranger asked one of them to what nation he 
belonged, he would answer " Onondaga." 

John. Then it seems, sir, that good proceeded from 
falsehood. 

Tin. For a time; yes. But see, children, it was 
like a good house erected on a foundation of sand. 
Falsehood is always detected sooner or later. We 
may suppose that this people, deceived to their ben- 
efit, should be convinced that their prophet had 
abused their credulity: they would perhaps again 
yield to the temptations of their appetites, and those 
of the mercenary traders around them, and become 
even worse than before : but if this man had per- 
suaded them by arguments alone, and convinced 
their reason by words of truth, then, reformation 
would have been like the wise man's house you 
read of, that was founded on a rock; and their good 



160 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

conduct would be as steadfast against temptation as 
that house was immoveable, when the floods and 
the winds assailed it in vain. 

John. But the Indians are noted for deceitfulness. 

TJn. If they should possess every vice that men 
calling themselves Christians practise, they would 
be more excusable than those who have had better 
instruction and education. 

Wm. Havre they any education, sir ? 

TJn. They are neither taught to read nor to write, 
but they are taught to run, to swim, to bear pain 
with fortitude, to shoot with the bow or the rifle, to 
make their own clothing, ornaments, utensils, and 
original arms, to be eloquent in council, polite in 
debate, and to tell the truth. Education of the best 
kind is given to us in infancy, before we are taught 
to read; I mean, children, the education your good 
mother gave you before you could speak the name 
of father. 

Wm. Polite, sir ? An Indian polite ? 

TJn. Yes, they are polite. In their councils, (and 
every tribe is governed by its council like true re- 
publicans, every man having a voice, and the whole 
only yielding to the influence of age and wisdom,) 
and in the great council of the Six Nations, held at 
Onondaga, they never interrupt each other, and 
never rudely contradict. This I call politeness in 
debate, and worthy of imitation. 

John. You said they were taught to speak truth; 
yet they are very treacherous. 

Un. War, the curse of mankind, justifies in their 
eyes, and unhappily in those of men better taught, 
every species of deceit, falsehood, and treachery, for 
the destruction of their enemies. It is true that among 
men calling themselves civilized, there are certain 
rules or laws of warfare, which in many cases miti- 
gate the evil. The Indian, who has not been taught 



. 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 161 

to love his enemy, and to return good for evil, openly 
indulges his thirst for revenge, and believes it right 
to do so. The Christian, so called, when he follows 
the example, or teaches the lesson, knows that he 
is doin"- wrong". 

John. There always have been wars, sir. Is all 
war wrong? 

Vn. All, in my opinion, except for defence : and 
then no further injury should be inflicted than ne- 
cessity requires. The war of the American revo- 
lution was a war of defence ; for to oppose the de- 
struction of the laws on which my happiness de- 
pends is as justifiable as to defend my life against 
the stroke of the assassin. 

John. Had the Indians any laws ? 

Vn. Certainly. Man cannot exist in society with- 
out them. Their laws were traditions: the cus- 
toms of their ancestors, handed down from father 
to son ; the memory of them preserved in some in- 
stances by strings of wampum. 

Wm. What is wampum, Uncle 1 

Vn. The Indians called by that name, pieces of 
clam and oj^ster, and other shells, which they con- 
trived to cut out and string together; they used 
them for ornament, money, and remembrancers of 
facts or laws. Europeans made them a substitute 
for money when they first came to this continent. 
You will perceive, by what I have said, that the 
Indians had a definite notion of property. Each in- 
dividual claimed his cabin or wigwam, the arms he 
possessed or fabricated, the skins or food he procu- 
red by hunting, and the clothing he made of those 
skins. For you know until Europeans brought 
them blankets and cloth, they wore nothing but the 
skins of the beasts they slew. The blankets and 
other clothing supplied by the whites served them 
instead, and the skins were more valuable to the 
14 # 



162 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

Dutch and other traders ; so that each gained by the 
exchange. 

John. But, sir, how did the whites get all the In- 
dian land? 

Un. Because the Indians had not a just notion of 
the value of the soil, not being an agricultural people. 
Every nation claimed property in a great portion of 
wilderness, but it was principally valued as hunting 
ground. If a man, or family, raised a field of corn 
or pumpkins, it was considered his while he occupied 
it, and he enjoyed the produce ; but if he removed, 
it then fell into the common stock. This caused the 
Indians to set little value on their land compared to 
what Europeans did ; and they sold large tracts of 
country for what was in their eyes of more value, 
a few guns, some powder, lead, hatchets, knives, and, 
unhappily, rum. The same cause operated in the 
gifts they made to white men. The well known 
story of the manner in which Sir William Johnson 
obtained a great tract of land from the Mohawks 
will elucidate the subject. 

Phil. How was it, Uncle ? 

Un. John will tell you. 

John. This Johnson was an Englishman, who 
at first settled upon a snug farm in the Mohawk 
country, and having been appointed Indian agent for 
the colony of New York, gained great influence 
over the Six Nations ; and in one of the wars with 
the French he had the good fortune with a party 
of provincials and Indians to defeat a large detach* 
ment of the enemy. For this the king of Eng- 
land made him a knight, called him Sir William, 
and sent him ribands and stars, and fine coats. 
The Indians are very fond of finery, and the chief 
of the Mohawks coveted Sir William's scarlet coat 
trimmed with gold lace. So he told Johnson that 
he " dreamed a dream ;" and it was, that the knight 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 163 

gave him this fine red coat. Sir William knew it 
was necessary to his popularity that he should com- 
ply, and the chief received the garment instantly. 
But a short time after, Sir William " dreamed a 
dream." 

Wm. Oho! 

John. And it was, that the chief and his council 
gave him a large tract of land, from such a tree to 
such a rivulet. The chief said " Hoh!" The gift 
was made "by the tribe. But the old chief said, " Sir 
William, I no dream any more : you dream better 
than Indian." 

Un. There is a story told of the mode in which 
the first settlers of this island obtained land from 
the natives, which, if true, evinces something of 
trickery in the Dutch traders, and shows likewise 
that the Indians valued their soil very lightly. 
John, how does Virgil or his commentators say the 
land was obtained on which Carthage was founded 
or commenced % 

John. The owners agreed to give or sell to Queen 
Dido as much as would lie within the compass of a 
bull's hide ; and the cunning lady cut the hide so as 
to form one long strip with which she encircled land 
enough for the fortress which was the commence- 
ment of the city. 

Un. It is said that one of the Dutch traders re- 
membered his Virgil, and gained the same advan- 
tage over the Indians of Manhattan. They admi- 
red his ingenuity ; and were only the more pleased 
with their visiters. I will tell you another, and a 
less known instance of the ease with which this 
people gave away their soil. On Long Island there 
long existed two families of the name of Smith, one 
of which was distinguished for years as being of 
the. "bull-breed," from the manner in which their 
ancestor gained his farm. He had made himself 



H1S1UKK Ur XSiiW l'UKK. 



popular with the Mohegans, and for some service 
done them, they offered him as much land as he could 
ride round in a given time upon the back of a bull. 
Smith mounted ; and the bull, not used to such 
treatment, ran : the Indians shouted — and, by follow- 
ing, with their clamour urged on the animal. Thus 
a great circuit was made through wood, marsh, and 
bramble; and Smith by keeping his seat on the bull's 
back, in despite of bush or brier, secured a large 
landed property, and a name to his posterity. 

Wm. Why, Uncle, the bull's hide served Mr. 
Smith without being cut into strips. I like this sto- 
ry best of the three : the bull kept his hide and the 
man gained his farm. 

Un. I think now we may return to our history, 
for you must know pretty well all that is necessary 
of the customs of the Six Nations. 

John. I know how they eat the green corn ; but 
how do they manage with that which is hard, as 
they have no mills to grind it 1 

Un. The women pound the grains in a kind of 
mortar made of the stump of a hard-wood tree. 
When I was at the Onondaga castle I saw on the 
ground a piece of wood about four feet long, and 
taking it up, found that it was solid and heavy, but 
tapering at one end. I asked its use, and was in- 
formed by a laughing Indian that it was their grist 
mill. It was the pestle used with the mortar for 
breaking their corn either for hominy or bread. 

Wm. Uncle, you have not told us any thing of 
the burial of their dead. 

Un. I questioned Mr. Webster on that subject, 
and he answered that when a death occurred in a fam- 
ily the women commenced a kind of howling monot- 
onous lamentation, which called the neighbouring 
females to the wigwam, who joined in the mournful 
song. This is continued until the body is buried ; 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 165 

and sometimes for days after. The corpse is car- 
ried to the grave by men ; others following, without 
apparent distinction or order. The women remain 
in the wigwam continuing their lament. The body 
of the deceased is deposited by the side of the last of 
his tribe who had been buried, and some ornaments 
are usually thrown into the grave. The relations of 
the deceased do not follow the corpse to its place of 
intended rest. In the township of Pompey is a very 
extensive cemetery where the bones of the aborigi- 
nes lie in rows, side by side, for acres. The present 
owners of the soil frequently, when ploughing, turn 
up parts of the human skeleton, and occasionally 
some articles of dress, or instruments of war. The 
head that guided the council, and the arm that wield- 
ed the tomahawk, are scattered upon the surface 
with as little ceremony, as is used in our city when 
levelling a graveyard to make way for a street, or 
making an excavation for the cellar of a storehouse. 
It is observed that the wandering Indians assiduous- 
ly avoid this township. They feel that not only 
their land has passed from them, but the resting- 
place and bones of their ancestors. 

Wm. I am sorry for the Indians: are not you, sir? 

Un. I cannot but lament their fate; but I rejoice 
to see those tracts of country which they devoted 
to the chase, and to the savage conflicts of extermi- 
nating war, now teeming with food for thousands 
and covered with the habitations of civilized men. 

John. The Indians found some friends among the 
whites, sir. 

Un. Many. Among those who endeavoured to 
save them from the arts of the wicked, or their ovyn 
ignorance, I could speak of many Christian philan- 
thropists. The best friends of the whites, the men 
who taught freedom of inquiry, equality of rights 
both civil and religious, and interchange of good 



166 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

offices to all, were the men who were the friends 
of the Indians. Among them, William Penn and 
Roger Williams stand conspicuous, 

Phil. You have not told us any thing about the 
way in which the Indians right ; and how they tor- 
ture their prisoners ; and how their prisoners defy 
them. 

Un. When we speak of the revolutionary war, 
we may have an opportunity of mentioning the mode 
of savage warfare ; and the tortures of both white and 
red prisoners. Let us now go on with our story. 

John. You have told us nothing of their language, 
sir. 

Un. Because I know nothing of it. By and 
by, you will read what has been written on the sub- 
ject. Webster, and others, have told me that among 
the Six Nations there were two languages : one, the 
vulgar tongue ; and the other much more refined. 
The latter is only in use among their chiefs and 
orators. I have looked over vocabularies of Indi- 
an words, with their English significations, but I 
remember very few. I know that Onondaga means 
11 Swamp under the hill ;'.' povvow, a dance ; wig- 
wam, a house ; and so of some other words that are 
known to everybody. "Swamp under the hill," is 
descriptive of the situation of the Onondjaga village 
or castle. To-morrow I will tell you what hap- 
pened in New York as the troubles increased in our 
country. 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 



167 




CHAPTER XIV. 



Un. Well, my good children, you have come to 
hear the continuation of events in our city. Con- 
nected with its history is the improvement in pub- 
lick buildings. In our last walk I pointed out to 
you the beauty of the new French church : now look 
at the picture of that which preceded it. As great, 
it may be said, are the advances generally in our 
architecture. Shall I now proceed ? 

John. If you please, sir, and can spare time from 
your more important occupation. 

Uu. My boy, I know of no occupation more im- 
portant than teaching. I know no office more hon- 
ourable than that of the teacher. I believe you 
have a pretty clear notion of the cause of that war 
with Great Britain which ended in the happy inde- 
pendence of our country, and the establishment of 
a government essentially democratick. There are 
some transactions particularly belonging to the histo- 
ry of our city, with which I must make you acquaint- 
ed, before we come to the period in which actual 



168 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

hostilities commenced. But having anticipated sev- 
eral events of the years 1769 and '70, 1 must pro- 
ceed to those of Governor Tryon's administration in 
1771. An occurrence of a private nature is record- 
ed worthy of our attention before we enter on the 
subject of the opposition to the introduction of the 
East India Company's tea: I mean an instance of 
the extinction of life by what is called spontaneous 
combustion. 

John. That is, I believe, sir, when any material 
takes fire of itself, without any apparent cause. I 
remember reading of a gentleman who took off his 
silk stockings when he went to bed and threw them 
on the floor, and next morning found in their stead 
a handful of ashes. 

Un. There are many such instances on record ; 
but this I am to mention is more rare, wonderful, 
and awful. We can imagine without great effort 
that electricity or some other natural cause should 
produce the ignition of a piece of dry cloth or silk, but 
that a living body, in apparent health, replete with 
blood and other animal fluids, should so take fire and 
be consumed, appears to be among the most strange 
and terrifick of natural phenomena. 

Wm. And have such things happened, sir ? 

Un. Yes. The instances are rare, but the facts 
undoubted. I have never heard of but one in our 
city, and that occurred on the new-year's eve of Jan- 
uary, 1771. The person who suffered by a death 
so dreadful to our imaginations, was a woman of 
large dimensions, masculine person, coarse manners, 
notorious in the neighbourhood for her boldness, 
habitual intemperance, and the vices allied to, and 
engendered by it. She lived in the upper part of a 
house, and by herself; access to her apartment be- 
ing by a stairway on the outside of the building. 
A person who had left this w r oman in apparent 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 169 

health, on the evening of the 3 1st of December, but, 
as usual, intoxicated, came by appointment on busi- 
ness in the morning of the new year, and found her 
door fastened on the inside. No answer was made to 
the knocking. A window was within reach, and 
could be opened. Through this opening entrance 
was made; and a strange spectacle presented itself. 
In the centre of the room, on the floor, a part of the 
unconsumed body of the wretched woman was seen, 
mingled with cinders, calcined bones, and ashes. 
In the floor a hole was burnt, where the victim of 
inebriation had fallen. The ceiling over this part 
of the room was black from the loathsome fames of 
the sacrifice. Such was the awful end of a drunkard. 

John. But, sir, have not the temperate experi- 
enced this fate ? 

Un. I know of no instance. But I know that 
the intemperate have in many instances been thus 
cut off by the effects of alcohol. Such a death is 
more striking, but not more dreadful than the usual 
end of the inebriate. 

John. This, sir, you say happened in January, 
1771 : that was before Governor Tryon came to 
New York. 

Un. True. Who was the governor then? 

John. Lord Dunmore. Infamous afterward for 
raising the slaves of the South and arming them 
against the planters. 

Un. True; and Governor Tryon was at the time 
of which we speak engaged in North Carolina, 
quelling an insurrection of certain unruly loyal sub- 
jects of his majesty. Before we enter upon more 
important matters, I will read to you a memoran- 
dum I made from a newspaper of certain property 
of the late Governor Montgomerie, which was sold 
about this time at vendue. The articles will at least 
convey a notion of the wardrobes of that day ; and 
15 



170 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

particularly of the style of trie governor's livery 
servants. " On the 12th of October, the furniture, 
&c, of the late Governor Montgomerie, will be sold 
at, the fort." A catalogue of the property is given, 
which, though curious, I did not copy, but made a 
memorandum that among a variety of articles are 
" some blue cloth lately come from London for liv- 
eries; some white drap cloth, with proper trimming, 
and some gold lace." 

Wm. A gentleman, in those days, must have 
looked very fine, with his laced ruffles, and gold 
laced clothes and hat. 

Uto. The old portraits appear very stiff and en- 
cumbered by their finery : and one of the uses of 
portrait painting is, that it transmits to posterity the 
real appearance of the men and women of times past. 
We will now turn our*thoughts to the political his- 
tory of the time. On the 17th of January, 1771, 
the assembly of New York voted 2000/. as a salary 
to Lord Dimmore for the year ensuing, and he re- 
turned a message refusing it: saying that "the king 
had appointed him a salary out of his treasury, and 
he wished this allowance omitted." 

John. What was the meaning of this, sir? 

JJn. To make the governor altogether independ- 
ent of the colonists, and dependant upon the king. 

John. But then the English government lost 
2000/. a year by this ; and if the same method was 
taken in other provinces it would amount to a great 
deal. 

Un. It was not intended that England should pay 
this. What is called his majesty's treasury was to 
be filled by taxes imposed upon the colonists. They 
were to pay his majesty's servants, who were to be 
their masters. The same offer was afterward made 
to Tryon and other colonial governors, and the same 
answer returned. Governor Tryon arrived here 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 171 

the 8th of July, 1771, with his wife and daughter, 
who were very much beloved *in North Carolina. 
The people of New York received him with the 
usual formalities. The magistrates went in proces- 
sion to the city hall: his commission was read: and 
the usual feasting and illuminations took place. 
And soon after Lord Dunmore departed to govern 
Virginia. 

Wm.- 1 should like to know how that Dunmore 
looked. 

Un. It is a natural desire: and this it is that 
makes the portraits of individuals so valuable. I 
have only a slight idea of the appearance of this 
"noble earl," and that was given me by a very old 
gentleman who had frequently seen him. We were 
talking of the governors remembered by him, and 
his recollection of names having been impaired by 
age, when he wished to mention this nobleman, he 
said, "that little felloiv, who raised a rebellion among 
the negroes in Virginia." 

Wm. And an ugly little fellow, I dare say, he 
was, though he was a lord. 

Un. We cannot judge, my son, by outward ap- 
pearances of the good or evil dispositions of men : 
although a long course of depravity will leave its 
marks on the bad man : still it is better to judge qf 
the tree by its fruit than by its leaves or blossoms ; 
and we know that it is not the tallest which gives 
the best. What happened after Mr. William Try- 
on's arrival ? 

John. The disputes between New York and New 
Hampshire became very bitter. 

Un. Yes : Governor Tryon issued a proclama 
tion in December, 1771, saying that disorderly per- 
sons had defied the authority of New York, pre- 
tending claims to lands within seventeen miles of 
Hudson's river to the east: that they had burnt 



172 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

houses, and driven away persons who were seated on 
farms held by titlts from New York. That these 
violent persons pretended authority from the govern- 
or of New Hampshire, although he had " disclaim- 
ed such allowance and recommended implicit obe- 
dience to the laws." Tryon states the limits of the 
province, and calls upon justices and other officers 
to keep the peace. 

John. I remember that New York claimed to the 
west side of Connecticut river. 

Un. Yes : and Wentworth, the governor of New 
Hampshire agreed to refer the dispute to the king, 
who decided, as was just, in favour of New York ; 
notwithstanding which, Wentworth granted and sold 
these lands under titles from New Hampshire, and 
by so doing caused feuds and bloodshed, and an ill- 
will towards the people of New York which lasted 
for many years after the disputed lands had been 
given up, and even after they were erected into an 
independent state. Thus you see that the disorders 
or outrages committed by the men of New Hamp- 
shire must be charged to the misconduct of Govern- 
or Wentworth. As late as March 5th, 1774, I 
find a report of a committee to the assembly of New 
York of facts respecting outrages committed by law- 
less persons " calling themselves the Bennington 
mob," who " have assumed military command and 
judicial powers." The committee name as ring- 
leaders Ethan Allen, Seth Warner, and six others. 
These men acted under the authority of Wentworth, 
inasmuch as he sold and granted the lands which 
they were determined to retain, honestly believing 
that he had a right to sell them. Governor Tryon 
endeavoured in vain to accommodate this feud. 

John. Uncle Philip said that Governor Tryon 
was " a base man." 

Un. I think the charge too harsh. We must 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 173 

judge him by his actions ; always remembering that 
he was an Englishman, an officer commissioned by 
the king, and might think, not only that it was his 
duty to oppose the wishes of the people, but that it 
was for their good so to do. 

John. So we might excuse many others, sir. 

Un. Certainly. We will take Lieutenant-gov- 
ernor Colden for example, who might think he was 
doing right, notwithstanding the people were very 
much exasperated against him. I am far from justify- 
ing his political conduct in all respects; but we must 
remember that he was one of the most exemplary 
students and learned men of his time; the friend 
and correspondent of Linnaeus, Gronovious, and 
most of the men of science then in Europe. 

Wm. Well, sir, the people knew best for them- 
selves for all that. 

Un. So it has proved, boy, and I am heartily glad 
of it. 

John. My information relative to this period, sir, 
is so imperfect that I must beg of you to be particular. 

Un. Before I commence the details respecting the 
rejection of the tea, I will notice one circumstance 
immediately connected with the prosperity of the 
city. On the 2d of September, 1773, Governor 
Tryon laid the first stone of the New York Hospi- 
tal. This building was then far out of town. A 
part of the present hospital was that commenced in 
1773. Before it was completed, an accidental fire 
destroyed the interiour, and retarded the work for a 
considerable time. We will now proceed to the 
business of the tea; the introduction of which was 
intended as the test of the spirit possessed by the col- 
onists to defend their right of self-government. I 
have explained to you the scheme of the ministry. 

John. Yes, sir; to raise a duty or tax on the col- 
onies, and by taking one off from the East India 
15* 



174 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

Company, continue a claim on them for 400,000/. 
sterling a year. 

JJn. The intention and its consequences were duly 
appreciated by the colonists, and, as you know, the 
Bostonians, (in whose harbour the article first ar- 
rived,) when they could not prevail to have it sent 
back, threw it into the sea. One immediate conse- 
quence of this was a law of the English parliament 
prohibiting all entries or shipments of goods at Bos- 
ton. This is what is known in history as the Boston 
port-bill. We shall now see how these proceedings 
of the British parliament were received in New 
York. On the 16th of December, 1773, an adver- 
tisement appeared, stating that " the members of the 
association of the sons of liberty, are requested, to 
meet at the city hall to-morrow, (being Friday,) on 
business of importance ; and every friend to the lib- 
erties and trade of America are hereby most cordial- 
ly invited to meet at the same place." Accordingly, 
on the 17th, a numerous company assembled, and 
Mr. John Lamb addressed them. He said several 
letters had been received from the committees of 
correspondence of Boston and Philadelphia on the 
subject of the East India Company's tea. The let- 
ters were called for and read. They invited the 
colonies to unite in resisting the insidious intentions 
of Great Britain. A committee of fifteen was cho- 
sen to answer these letters. The object of the as- 
sociation was explained to the publick, and the in- 
tention of the parliament in imposing the duty on 
tea. It was stated that the captains of the Ameri- 
can ships had refused to take this obnoxious article; 
but that the East India Company had chartered 
vessels to receive it, and that it might be soon ex- 
pected to arrive ; therefore the subscribers had as- 
sociated to support their rights, under the title ofi 
( The Sons of Liberty of New York," and had re- 

\ 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 175 

solved, that whoever aided in the introduction of tea 
into the country in any way whatsoever, should be 
considered as an enemy. The persons assembled 
were invited to join in the resolution, and the ques- 
tion being put by Mr. Lamb, it was adopted unani- 
mously. In this stage of the business, the mayor 
and recorder entered, and announced a message from 
the government. The citizens agreed to hear it. 
Whitehead Hicks, esquire, the mayor, assured them 
from the governor, that on the arrival of the tea it 
would be taken into the fort at noon-day; and 
pledged his honour that it should continue there, 
until the council should advise it to be delivered out; 
or until the king's order, or the proprietors' order, 
should be known : and then it should be delivered 
out of the fort at noon-day." 

John. Did that satisfy the people, sir % 

Un. No. They iiad made up their minds that it 
must be returned forthwith in the ships that brought 
it. And when the mayor asked, " Gentlemen, is 
this satisfactory to you?" there was a unanimous 
answer of "No! No! No!" Mr. Lamb read the 
act of parliament, and pointed out that the duty must 
be paid if the article was landed. The question 
was put, " Shall the tea be landed?" and answered 
in the negative. 

Wm. That's right ! 

Un. Resolutions were then passed approving the 
conduct of the people of Boston and Philadelphia; 
and the meeting adjourned " till the arrival of the 
tea-ship." In the mean time another event happen- 
ed that must be remembered as belonging to the 
history of our good city. 

John. What was it, sir? 

Un. You all remember that at the beginning of 
the affair called the negro plot, in 1741, the govern- 
or's house in the fort was burnt. 



176 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

Wm. yes, sir. When Governor Clarke lived 
there. 

Phil. When Major Drum frightened the people. 

Tin. Another house was built by the province in 
the same place, and it is sometimes called the prov- 
ince house, and sometimes the governors. At this 
time it was occupied by Governor Tryon and his 
family. A few days after the meeting of the Sons 
of Liberty, which you will remember was on the 
17th of December, 1773, while the town was free 
from agitation, or even noise, at the hour of mid- 
night, the governor's house was discovered to be on 
fire. This happened on the 29th of December. So 
sudden and furious was the conflagration, that Mr. 
Tryon and his wife with difficulty escaped from the 
flames through an unfrequented door, on the east 
side of the building, which led to the ramparts of 
the fort. Their daughter saved herself by leaping 
out of a window of the second story. The house 
and furniture were destroyed ; and the adjoining 
buildings, within the fort, were only saved owing to 
their roofs being covered with snow, and by the 
strenuous exertions of the citizens. But they did 
not save what was of more worth. A servant girl 
of sixteen years of age, either too timid to follow 
the example of Miss Tryon, or sleeping in an upper 
chamber, perished miserably without the possibility 
of rescue. The name of this girl, Elizabeth Garret, 
is preserved. Two days after the fire, the great seal 
of the province was raked out of the ashes, and 
found to be uninjured. On the 12th of January, 
1774, the governor in his speech to the assembly 
tells them, that " with the utmost agony of mind for 
the safety of his family, he lately beheld his own 
interest and the province house involved in one com- 
mon ruin." Particularly, he says, after their liberal 
grant for the repairs of the building. He tells them 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 177 

that the boundary line between New York and Mas- 
sachusetts had been settled by the commissioners 
appointed for that purpose, but with Canada it had 
not yet been determined. He likewise informed 
them that, in consequence of the outrages committed 
by the New Hampshire men on the settlers under 
the New York government, he had been ordered to 
England. 

John. He meant that disputed land, now tfre state 
of Vermont. 

Un. Yes. In consequence of the fire at the fort, 
the governor at this time resided in Broad street. 
Both houses of the legislature condoled with him 
on his loss, regretted that he should be called home, 
and passed a law granting him 5000/. in considera- 
tion of his loss by the burning of the province house. 

John. Did he go away then % 

Un. He departed for England on the 8th of 
April, and if we w r ere to judge by the compliments 
paid him on the occasion, we should say he was very 
much beloved. Many of the gentlemen of the city 
gave him a publick dinner. General Haldimand, the 
commander of the king's troops, gave a ball on the 
occasion. Addresses were poured in by corpora- 
tions and societies ; and King's College made him 
a doctor in civil law. 

Wm. Was he a lawyer, Uncle 7 

Un. No. But that is not considered when col- 
leges wish to flatter. However, Doctor Tryon de- 
parted, and left the government once more to old 
Doctor Colden, who, as a man of literature and sci- 
ence, had a claim to that title, as well as from his 
having had the education of a physician. 

John. I am afraid, sir, that Mr. Colden had as 
hard a time with the Sons of Liberty now, about the 
tea, as he had in 1765, about the stamps. 

Un. We shall see. I rather think that Doctor 



178 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

Tryon was well pleased to get out of the way of 
Messrs. Sears, Sands, Scott, and McDougal : and to 
turn over Nathaniel Woodhull, George Clinton, and 
Philip Schuyler, (with some other true Americans 
who now began to show themselves,) to the manage- 
ment of Dr. Colden. 

John. Were there not other conspicuous names 
in our city, sir? 

Un.. The names of Delancey and Livingston are 
conspicuous in the history of New York. The 
families had long been rivals. James Delancey 
you may remember as the lieutenant-governor ap- 
pointed by the English Governor Clinton, and he 
was long a man of influence in the province; the 
time had now arrived when the name of Livingston 
became ascendant as one of the constellation that 
guided the people to liberty; and the Delancey, lean- 
ing upon the power of England, sunk on the horizon 
of the west. You will now hear of Jay, Morris, 
Schuyler, and Clinton. And I must mention two 
names less brilliant, and borne by men as dissimilar 
in character as any leaders of the two great political 
parties that now divided the province of New York, 
James Rivington and Christopher Colles. The first, 
issued proposals, in March, for publishing a weekly 
gazette, and printed the first number on the 22d of 
April, 1773. The second, one year after, delivered 
lectureson natural philosophy; and projected water- 
works (which were begun to be executed) for sup- 
plying New York with good and wholesome water. 

John. I thought, sir, that the Manhattan works 
were the first in point of time for that purpose. 

Un. The first ever put in operation. But Mr. 
Colles's water-works have priority of intention. I 
remember the basin of earth raised to receive the 
water, on a high ground to the east of the new 
road; that is, on the east side of Broadway, near 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 179 

the present intersection of Leonard street ; and the 
water was to be raised from a lake or pond farther 
to the east, extending from what is now a part of 
Pearl street, to what is now Canal street. All, then, 
out of the city. This was the fresh-ioaier, or kolk, 
or collect, of former days. Rivington will long be 
remembered as the "king's printer" at the time of 
our revolution ; and there is a street in this city 
named after him : but the only memorial of Chris- 
topher Colles, (a learned, meek, and benevolent 
gentleman,) is the portrait of a little old man, paint- 
ed by John Wesley Jarvis, now hanging in the li- 
brary of the Historical Society. Come, let us go 
and look at it before we talk of the troubles that 
preceded the war. 



' 



180 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 




CHAPTER XV. 

Wm. Why is that old street we passed in our 
walk to-day, called New? . 

JJn. I can give no other reason than that it was 
new when named. Here is a picture of a house, 
such as all the buildings were when it was really 
a New street. 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 181 

John. Now, sir, we shall be glad to hear you on 
le subject of our city's history. 

Un. We have arrived at a period of great impor- 
ince. The press teemed with essays in favour of 
ie measures of Great Britain on one part, and in 
efence of the rights of America on the other. It 
» to be remarked, although it in no way affects the 
lerits of any religious system at the present day, 
lat the warmest advocates of England were clergy- 
men of the Episcopal church. At the head of these 
lust be placed Doctor Cooper, the president of the 
ollege, a man of science, literature, and wit. His 
oadjutors were Doctors Inglis, Seabury, and Chand- 
er, and the Reverend Messrs. Wilkins and Vardill. 
Sut their cause was bad, and they had to contend 
nth genius wielding the arms of truth. William 
Livingston, afterward the republican governor of 
Stew Jersey, with Morris, Jay, McDougal, and (al- 
hough but a youth of seventeen) Alexander Ham- 
lton, were the champions of America. Schuyler, 
Dlinton, and John Morin Scott, were not idle. The 
issociated Sons of Liberty stood ready for action un- 
ler their well known leaders, Sears, McDougal, and 
[jamb. At length, on the 21st of April, 1774, the 
ong expected tea-ship, the Nancy, Captain Lockyier, 
irrived. The pilots of the port received their instruc- 
ions from the committee, and refused to bring her 
'arther than the Hook. The captain came up to town, 
md was met by a deputation of the Sons of Liberty, 
md informed that he must return forthwith with his 
ship to London, and deposite his cnrgo with those 
who shipped it. To this command he of course saw 
that no opposition would avail. He desired to see 
the consignee of his lading, Mr. Henry White, an 
Englishman, and, either then, or shortly before, one 
of his majesty's council for the province. The 
deputies escorted Captain Lockvier to the intended 
16 



182 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

agent of the East India Company, who was too weft, 
informed of the state of things to hesitate in his 
answer. He renounced his agency, and refused to 
receive that which he had long desired, hut was 
now far beyond his reach. The ship Nancy was de- 
tained at Sandy Hook until Lockyier was ready to 
depart, and was closely guarded by a committee of 
vigilance from the Sons of Liberty, who prevented 
the sailors (necessary for navigating her back to 
England) from leaving the vessel. 

John. Poor fellows ; how they must have longed 
to reach the shore ! 

Un. The boats being secured, they made an at- 
tempt to land by means of a raft, but were turned 
back and confined to the ship. 

John. But this was hard, sir. 

Un. It is thus that individuals must sometimes 
suffer when the welfare of a nation or community- 
is at stake. This was now the case. These English 
sailors were supplied with every thing needed for 
the safe navigation of the ship home again. But 
go they must. In the mean time another affair called 
for the interference of our citizens. You will re- 
collect that it was said all the American captains of 
ships had refused to take the tea. 

John. Yes, sir ; and that the East India Compa- 
ny had chartered English ships. Such, I suppose, 
was the Nancy. 

Un. The Sons of Liberty received information 
that one of the New York ship-captains, notwith- 
standing his profession that he would not receive 
the obnoxious article, had shipped eighteen chests 
of it in London, that he had already arrived at the 
Hook, and that his ship was on her way to the town. 
The pilots had no orders to stop this ship, as her 
commander, Captain Chambers, was known, and 
had made such professions of patriotism. The pi- 



HISTORY OP NEW YORK. 183 

lot that boarded him inquired if he had any tea, and 
he denied. 

Mary. O, for shame ! 

Un. The ship arrived at the wharf, and was im- 
mediately boarded by the citizens. 

Wm. Captain Sears at the head, I will warrant ! 

Un. Captain Chambers was again questioned, 
and again denied. Thus one falsehood leads to 
another, and the guilt and shame are doubled. He 
was told that they had unquestionable information 
that he had tea on board; and that they would search 
every package in the ship until they found it. See- 
ing their resolution, he confessed ; but said it was 
not the East India Company's tea: that it was 
a private venture, shipped and owned by himself. 
This paltry equivocation did not save him from 
censure, or his tea from destruction. The hatches 
were ordered to be opened ; the eighteen chests 
were found and hoisted to the deck ; then, very 
deliberately, emptied into the salt water of the bay. 
After which the people quietly dispersed; and Cham- 
bers was suffered to withdraw, covered with contempt, 
when probably he had anticipated a covering of tar. 

John. What was done with Lockyier, sir? 

Un. Every thing being ready for his departure, 
ship, cargo, and all, a day was appointed and an- 
nounced to the people. The bells were ordered to 
be rung. The Sons of Liberty met the captain of 
the English Nancy by appointment at the Coffee- 
house. Hither the citizens flocked in greater num- 
bers than ever before was known. The house was 
in Wall street at the corner of Water street, and 
opposite the Tontine Coffee-house of more recent 
construction. It was then kept by Mrs. Ferari, who 
removed to it in 1772, from the old Coffee-house, 
which was on the ground afterward occupied by the 
Tontine. The crowd filled the street. The com- 



184 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

mittee brought out Lockyier into the balcony. He 
was received with cheers, and a band of musick play- 
ed "God save the king." With all these unwel- 
come honours the English captain was escorted by 
the " Sons of Liberty" to the wharf at the foot of 
Wall street, where seeing him on board the pilot boat 
that was to convey his vessel of£ they "wished him 
a good voyage" home, and then with the people dis- 
persed. The committee of vigilance still attended 
upon his ship at the Hook, and guarded his tea and 
his crew. Captain Chambers, under protection of 
another committee, embarked on board Lockyier's 
ship. She sailed; the bells rang; the flag was 
hoisted on the liberty pole, and every ship in the 
harbour displayed her colours in token of triumph. 

Wm. Well done, the good people of New York! 

Un. But a more serious business was yet to be 
done. 

John. What was that, sir ?■ 

Un. To elect good men and true, to meet in con- 
gress at Philadelphia. 

John. They found them, sir ! 

Un. They did, boy. But the Sons of Liberty 
had to struggle hard to carry the election ; for many 
in New York (besides the downright tories or sup- 
porters of tyranny) were afraid of the measures ad- 
vocated by the champions of our rights ; while oth- 
ers conscientiously adhered to the mother country, 
and believed that she would remedy the grievances 
complained of, if conciliatory means were used. In 
this state of the publick feeling, on the 19th of 
May, 1774, (shortly after Chambers's tea had been 
thrown into the Coffee-house slip, at the bottom of 
Wall street, and Lockyier and his cargo had been 
sent to report that New York was as rebellious as 
Boston,) a great meeting was called at the Coffee- 
house, to take into consideration the state of theii 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 185 

fellow-countrymen at Boston, who, as I have said, 
were deprived of the means of prosecuting- their 
commercial business, and many of them reduced to 
immediate want by the arbitrary act of parliament 
called the Boston port-bill. 

John. Intended to punish the Boston folks, and 
thinking that the other people would be quiet and 
look on. 

Un. If they thought so they greatly mistook. 
Every colony felt ihe injury as done to itself; and 
that which perhaps was intended to produce dis- 
union, became a bond to unite all the genuine 
provincials from one end of the continent to the 
other. At this great meeting in May, a committee 
of fifty-one were appointed who were to deliberate 
for the citizens. Many of this committee were, to 
my knowledge, tories : but the majority were friends 
to America, yet not willing to oppose the measures 
of parliament. Most of these last described were 
merchants, and a portion of them never served. 

Wm. Was Captain Sears on this great commit- 
tee, sir ? 

Un. Yes, your favourite was one, and Captain 
McDougal another. On their first meeting they 
appointed a committee of correspondence, consisting 
of Alexander McDougal, Isaac Low, James Duane, 
and John Jay. Letters from various parts were 
read. The project of a congress to meet at Philadel- 
phia was considered, agreed to, and delegates nomi- 
nated. This great committee had too many of the 
cold or disaffected to suit the ardent leaders, and on 
the 6th of July, another general meeting of citizens 
was called, and Mr. McDougal placed in the chair. 
This was afterward called " the great meeting in 
the fields." Here a number of resolutions were 
passed, more congenial to the spirit of the times. 
They apnroved the conduct of the Boatoniant, 
16* 



186 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

and resolved to support them. They opened a 
subscription for their relief. They entered into 
non-importation agreements ; and determined upon 
a plan for the election of delegates to that congress 
which they foresaw would be the bond of future 
union for the colonies. 

John. These were the best men ! 

Un. The next day the committee of fifty-one met, 
and Mr. Thurman moved a resolution, which was 
seconded by Mr. McEvers, disapproving of the meet- 
ing of the day before, and of their proceedings. 
This was carried by a large majority. Upon which 
all the true American whigs requested their names 
to be struck from the committee of fifty-one. Whe- 
ther they eventually seceded, I know not, but, on 
the 25th of July, the polls were opened at the dif- 
ferent wards for the election of delegates to a con- 
gress to meet at Philadelphia, and Philip Livings- 
ton, John Alsop, Isaac Low, James Duane, and John 
Jay, were chosen. 

John. Were these good men, sir ? 

Un. Yes. Some of them very good. One of 
them pre-eminently so. 

John. Ah, I know that was Mr. Jay. 

Un. When the time arrived for the delegates to 
proceed to Philadelphia, the people assembled in 
vast crowds to attend them to the place of embark- 
ation, and took leave of them with every demonstra 
tion of confidence in their abilities and patriotism. 
The congress of this year laid the foundation of 
American self-government. Messrs. Jay and Liv- 
ingston of New York, with Richard Henry Lee of 
Virginia, were appointed a committee to draw the 
declaration of rights. The composition is attributed 
to John Jay. It belongs to the general history of 
our country, and must be read by you all. But I 
will cite one passage which dwells on my memory 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 187 

as particularly applicable to the state of the contro- 
versy at this period, and placing the question at issue 
between England and America on its true ground. 
The passage I allude to is this. After speaking in 
strong terms, and almost harshly, of the conduct of 
Great Britain, as " forging chains for her friends 
and children," and becoming the "advocate of sla- 
very and oppression," the declaration says, "know 
then, that we consider ourselves, and do insist that 
we are, and ought to be, as free as our fellow-sub- 
jects in Great Britain ; and that no power on earth 
has a right to take our property from us without 
our consent." And again, "We claim to be free as 
well as our fellow-subjects of Great Britain: and 
are not the proprietors of the soil of Britain lords 
of their own property 1 Can it be taken from them 
without their consent ? Will they yield it to the ar- 
bitrary disposal of any man or number of men what- 
ever? You know they will not." 

John. How was this declaration received, sir 1 

Un. By Americans with enthusiastick pleasure. 
By Englishmen as the height of insolence. The 
parliament of Great Britain, and most of the people, 
(if they thought at all on the subject,) looked on the 
colonies as I have before shown you, merely as 
their property; and upon the provincials as infe- 
riour beings, — creatures only existing by their per- 
mission and protection ; to be guided, and fleeced, 
as flocks by their shepherds. 

John. I remember, sir, that whatever low opinion 
they had of the colonists, they were afraid of their 
union. 

Un. Yes ; by making an artful distinction in the 
laws intended for their punishment, they hoped to 
divide them. 

Wm. But the colonists were as wise as the Indi- 



188 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

ans you told us of; and knew that the bundle of ar- 
rows was stronger than one arrow alone. 

Un. Very true, my good boy. But what has be- 
come of Philip and Mary 1 

John. Mary has left us; and Philip is making a 
boat. 

Phil. Here I am, Uncle. But I am tired of what 
you are talking about ; besides I don't understand 
it. And you promised us more stories. 

Un. Come here. I will tell you a story. But as 
the place in which the events happened of which I 
am going to speak was New Jersey ; and as New 
Jersey was part of Neuw Nederlandts, that is, of 
New York, at the beginning of our history, I will 
say a few words generally of that province before I 
begin my story. 

John. If you please, sir. 

Un. But not till we meet again. 



CHAPTER XVI. 

Un. Now, children, I will talk to you of New Jer- 
sey. At the peace of Breda, the Dutch surrendered 
the New Netherlands to the English, and received 
in exchange a country called Surinam. In conse- 
quence of this surrender, all the territory from Con- 
necticut river to the Delaware was considered as the 
property of the Duke of York ; and he sold New 
Jersey (that is, the land, bays, and rivers, from the 
Delaware to the Hudson) to Lord Berkely and Sir 
George Carteret. These two agreed upon a divi- 
sion ; Berkely taking as his half the western part, 
bounded on the Delaware, and Carteret that portion 
bounded on the Hudson ; thenceforth the one is called 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 189 

East Jersey, and the other west. The early pur- 
chasers and settlers of New Jersey, in 1680, ex- 
pressed so fully and admirably the rights they pre- 
served as Englishmen, although they had come to 
America, and those they had acquired by their pur- 
chase from James, Duke of York, that I will read a 
few passages to you from Samuel Smith's history 
to prove in what light they viewed the Indians 
and to show likewise that they used the same argu 
ments respecting their own liberty and property 
which their descendants brought forward in 1775 
They insisted upon the right of self-government 
and say, " to give up this (the power of making 
laws) is to resign ourselves to the will of another 
and that for nothing : for, under favour, we buy no 
thing of the duke, if not the right of an undisturb 
ed colonizing, and that as Englishmen, with no 
diminution, but expectation of some increase of those 
freedoms and privileges enjoyed in our own coun- 
try; for the soil is none of his, His the natives 1 , and 
it would be an ill argument to convert them to 
Christianity, to expel instead of purchasing them 
out of those countries." 

John. Why, sir, this is as beautiful as if William 
Penn wrote it. 

Un. These men, Edward Billinge, Samuel Jen- 
nings, Gawin Lawrie, and their associates, were the 
friends of William Penn ; and like the Puritans of 
Plymouth, true democrats in principle. They say, 
again, " we have not lost any part of our liberty by 
leaving our country," and it is evident that the hope 
of self-government was their leading motive. You 
see likewise, my children, that however admirable 
the declaration of rights may be esteemed which 
the congress of 1774 drew up, these New Jersey 
men expressed the same notions and supported them 
by the same arguments, quite as well. 



190 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

John. And I like what they say respecting the 
Indians. 

Wm. Were the Indians in New Jersey a part of 
the Five Nations ? 

Un. No. They were generally of the Lenni- 
Lenape, or Delawares. And now, as I think you 
have had enough on the subject of laws and rights 
for one lesson, I will tell you something of these 
New Jersey Indians. There were many tribes, and 
each had its own name, as Mingo, Anastaka, Chi- 
chequas, and so on. The chief man of the tribe 
was called a sachem, but the English settlers called 
them all kings, although as unlike kings in authority 
as they were in appearance. They were leaders, only 
as they were the wisest and best of the tribe. They 
were an inferiour people in some respects to the Iro- 
quois or Five Nations, who held them in contempt; 
but they were more disposed to peace, and in sin- 
cerity, hospitality, and gratitude to their Creator, 
they were at least equal to any of the natives. The 
historian of New Jersey says that they believed in 
a God and immortality : that they " seemed to aim 
at publick worship," sitting in circles, one circle 
within another, and singing, jumping, shouting, and 
dancing." They said the Great Being that made 
them, " dwelt in a glorious country to the south- 
ward," and "that the spirits of the good should go 
there." " Their most solemn worship was the sac- 
rifice of the first fruits ; in which they burnt the 
first and fattest buck, and feasted together upon 
what else they had collected." 

John. This, sir, is like what Mr. Webster, the in- 
terpreter, told you of the Five Nations of New York. 

Tin. I do not doubt, my son, that all the Indians, 
or red men of this northern continent, were origi- 
nally from one stock. Thomas Budd, one of the 
first settlers of New Jersey, published a pamphlet, 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 191 

in which he says that the Indians had been very- 
serviceable to the English in supplying them with 
food and skins. That in their publick meetings of 
business, "they have excellent order, one speaking 
after another ; and while one is speaking all the rest 
keep silent, and do not so much as whisper one to 
another." On the subject of keeping peace, he gives 
a speech of one of the chiefs. In their figurative 
language he said, " We are willing to have a broad 
path for you and us to walk in, and if an Indian is 
asleep in this path, the Englishman shall pass by 
and do him no harm; and if an Englishman is 
asleep in this path, the Indian shall pass him by, 
and say, he is an Englishman, he is asleep; let him 
alone, he loves to sleep. It shall be a plain path ; 
there must not be in this path a stump to hurt our 
feet." On the subject of intoxicating drink their 
language was, " The strong liquor was first sold to 
us by the Dutch ; and they were blind, they had no 
eyes, they did not see that it was for our hurt. The 
next people that came among us were the Swedes ;" 
M they likewise were blind, they had no eyes, they 
did not see it to be hurtful to us" — " we are so in 
love with it that we drink it, though we know that 
it makes us mad ; we throw each other into the fire, 
we kill each other. Those people that, sell it are 
blind; but now there are a people come to live 
amongst us that have eyes; they see it to be for our 
hurt, and we know it to be for our hurt : they are 
willing to deny themselves the profit of it, for our 
good." You will observe the delicacy, in not at- 
tributing the selling of this poison to them by the 
Dutch and Swedes to evil motives, but merely to an 
ignorance that it would do harm ; and they compli- 
ment the English settlers by attributing to them su- 
periour knowledge ; and disinterestedness in conse- 
quence of knowledge. As you have mentioned Web- 



192 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

ster, the interpreter, I will give you a story told by 
another interpreter, to show the sense which the Irf- 
dians have of the goodness of the Giver of Life in 
the preservation of his creatures from evils of their 
own creating. 

John. What interpreter was this, sir 1 

Tin. The historian does not give his name. " I 
write this," he says, " to give an account of what I 
have observed among the Indians, in relation to their 
belief and confidence in a Divine Being." He says 
that he was sent by the governor of Virginia to 
Onondaga, in the month of February ; a journey of 
more than five hundred miles through a wilderness, 
where there was neither road nor path ; at a season 
when the earth was covered with snow and " no 
creatures could be met with for food." He was ac- 
companied by " a Dutchman and three Indians." 
They arrived at a narrow valley encompassed with 
high mountains " on which the snow lay three feet 
deep. In this pass ran a stream so rapid as to be 
unfrozen, and in places extending from one side of 
the gorge to the other, obliging the travellers to 
climb on the steep sides of the mountain to avoid 
wading in the water. They were forced to cut 
through the frozen surface of the snow to make 
holes for their feet that they might not slip down the 
mountain. ' " Thus," he says, " we crept on. It 
happened that the old Indian's foot slipped, and the 
root of a tree by which he held, breaking, he slipped 
down the mountain as from the roof of a house; but 
happily was stopped in his fall, by the string which 
fastened his pack, hitching to the stump of a small 
tree. The two Indians could not come to his aid, 
but our Dutch fellow-traveller did; and that not 
without visible danger to his own life." 

Wm. So the brave Dutchman saved him ! 

Un, He rescued him from his perilous situation, 



MISTORY OF NEW YORK. 193 

and they all descended into the valley ; then they 
saw that if the Indian had slipped four or five paces 
further, he would have fell over a rock one hundred 
feet perpendicular upon craggy pieces of rock be- 
low." When the Indian saw the extent of the dan- 
ger from which he had been saved by the string of 
his pack hitching over a small piece of a projecting 
stump, and that there he had been suspended on the 
brink of an awful eternity, "he turned quite pale," 
says the narrator, " and, stretching out his arms, said 
with great earnestness, ' I thank the great Lord and 
Governor of this world, in that he has had mercy 
upon me, and has been willing that I should live 
longer.' " 

Phil. I like that Indian, and that story, Uncle. 

Tin. Let us remember it, boy. And remember 
to be thankful every hour of our lives : for we are 
thus suspended, though not so obviously, every mo- 
ment that we live. To-morrow, " if the great Lord 
and Governor of this world" is willing, we will go 
on with our history. 



CHAPTER XVII. 

John. Will you please to tell us something more 
of New Jersey, sir 1 

Tin. Willingly ; and I have a New Jersey tale 
of robbers and counterfeiters to tell you. 

John. Was Sir George Carteret the first governor? 

Un. Sir George Carteret did not come to Amer- 
ica, but sent his brother Philip, to govern; for it ap- 
pears that the proprietors held the right of appoint- 
ing governors. So in 1681, for the first time in 
West Jersey, a form of government was regularly 
17 



194 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

established. The governor agreed with the peo- 
ple that there should be a free assembly chosen 
by them, once a year, to make laws for the good 
government of the province. The governor not to 
have the power of annulling these laws, and not to 
make war or raise troops without the consent of the 
assembly. In fact the whole power was reserved 
by the people to themselves, and they proclaimed 
perfect "liberty of conscience" in matters of religion. 
It was to East Jersey that Sir George Carteret had 
appointed his brother Philip as governor, and you 
remember that Sir Edmund Andros, the Duke of 
York's governor of New York, had him seized at 
Elizabethtown and brought to New York as a pris- 
oner, charging him with usurping his authority. 
Carteret, however, could show as good title as An- 
dros, and the affair was soon settled. Philip Car- 
teret remained governor until 1681. In the mean 
time Sir George died, and ordered the province to 
be sold to pay his debts. William Penn and eleven 
others bought it ; and soon after sold out half to 
twelve others, and to these twenty-four the duke 
renewed the grant with power to appoint a govern- 
or and other officers. Accordingly the proprietors 
appointed Robert Barclay, (the author of the Apol- 
ogy for Quakerism which you will one day read,) 
governor for life. He did not continue to rule as 
long as he lived, for in two years from his appoint- 
ment, that is, in 1683, Lord Neil Campbell, uncle to 
the Duke of Argyle, came over as governor, and in 
1698, Sir Thomas Lane was governor of East Jersey. 

John. It would appear, sir, that the government 
of East Jersey, was not so democratick as that of 
West. 1 

Un. You are right; for in West Jersey the people 
not only chose the assembly, but the assembly (the 
people's representative) chose the governor and 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 195 

council. Their first choice was Samuel Jennings 
(in 1683,) and next year Thomas Olive. This pow 
er appears to have been exercised by the people dur 
ing a dispute between them and the proprietors 
which being adjusted, they agreed to the appoint 
ment of John Skeine as governor. Dr. Cox, hav 
ing purchased a great many shares of the property 
was appointed governor next ; but appears to have 
been so anxious that the people should be satisfied, 
that he consulted with them, to know whether they 
wished to have a share in the choice of governor and 
council, and on other matters, in the spirit of true 
benevolence. In a few years the contending inter- 
ests of the proprietors threw the government of both 
Jerseys into confusion. In 1692, the proprietors of 
West Jersey appointed Andrew Hamilton their gov- 
ernor, and subsequently governor of both East and 
West Jersey ; but in 1701 appeared Jeremiah Bass 
with a commission from part of the proprietors, said 
to be approved by the king, and he superseded Ham- 
ilton ; this commission was soon after disputed, and 
Hamilton again seated in the chair of government : 
but these disputes ended in an agreement of the pro- 
prietors of both Jerseys, East and West, to surrender 
their right of government, in 1702, to Glueen Ann; 
and she, in council, on the 17th day of April, 1702, 
did accept the same, and appointed her cousin, Ed- 
ward Hyde, Lord Cornbury, governor over both 
parts, declaring them to be one province. 

Wm. Why this is the same fellow that was gov- 
ernor of New York, and would not pay his debts 
because he was a lord, and a queen's cousin, and a 
governor : but when the government was taken from 
him his creditors in New York threw him into jail, 
and so got their money. 

JJh. Yes. He was governor of both provinces 
at the same time ; and it was in consequence of the 



196 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

representations of New Jersey that he was superse- 
ded. You will some day read in Mr. Samuel Smith's 
History, the instructions given him by Queen Ann, 
for his rule over both colonies : among other things 
he is enjoined to permit " liberty of conscience to 
all persons, (except Papists.)" Cornbury came to 
New Jersey in 1703, and his conduct was such that 
in 1707 the assembly remonstrated with him and 
stated their grievances, at the same time that they 
petitioned the queen for his removal. There were 
at this time bold and able men who advocated the 
rights of the people, and among them Mr. Lewis 
Morris was conspicuous. He owned iron works in 
Shrewsbury, and came originally fu»m» Barbadoes. 
Cornbury, in his answer to the assembly, imputes 
their dissatisfaction principally to Morris, and is 
very intemperate; he takes the opportunity to abuse 
the Quakers, as people pretending to be Christians, 
and denying their Saviour. In their rejoinder the 
assembly take a tone as high as the governor's : they 
tell him his favourites are the pests of the country ; 
that he does not obey the queen's instructions in re- 
gard to liberty of conscience, and many other mat- 
ters: that when residing (as he does the greater 
part of the time) at Fort Ann, in New York, there 
is no deputy in New Jersey to do justice. In 
short, they accuse him of every species of mal-ad- 
ministration. Lord Lovelace succeeded Cornbury 
in 1708, but died in a short time, and was succeeded 
by Ingoldsby, the lieutenant-governor, who ruled 
until the arrival of Governor Hunter, in 1710. The 
enumeration of governors for New York are those 
for New Jersey at this time. Burnet succeeded 
Hunter in 1720; Montgomerie followed; and dur- 
ing his administration New Jersey applied to Eng- 
land for a distinct governor from New York. Cosby, 
the next governor of both provinces, promised the 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 197 

people to second their views in respect to having a 
governor to themselves. 

John. We have seen that there was not much re- 
liance to be placed upon him. Where was the seat 
of government of New Jersey, sir? 

Un. First at Burlington, and subsequently the 
governors resided and the assemblies met, alternate- 
ly there and at Perth Amboy. 

John. That's a very pleasant place, sir; a beauti- 
ful situation for a city. What was the origin of the 
town, and of the name? 

Un. I will tell you something of both ; and the 
more willingly, as the story \ promised of the rob- 
bers and counterfeiters of money, is immediately con- 
nected with the place. The name of the point upon 
which Perth Amboy stands, (having the Raritan riv- 
er on one side and the waters dividing the town from 
Staten island on the other,) appears from the propri- 
etor's books to have been originally " Ompoge," and 
to have been changed to Ompo, Ombo, Ambo, and 
finally to Amboy. Perth was added in compliment 
to James, Earl of Perth, one of the second set of pro- 
prietors, received as partners by William Penn and 
others, who purchased of Sir George Carteret's 
widow. The land on which this city is built was 
bought of the Indians, in the same honest way that 
Penn negotiated for his territory. The first deed on 
record relative to " Ompoge point" was given by the 
Indians to Augustine Herman, and it is dated the 
26th of December, 1651. The bounds of the grant 
were as follows. Read the memorandum. 

John. " From the mouth of the Raritan creek 
westerly unto a creek at the uppermost end of the 
great marsh called Mankackewahky — " 

Un. Now called the Raritan great meadows. 

John. "Which runs northwest into the country, 
17* 



198 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

and then from the mouth of the Raritan creek afore- 
said, northerly up along the river — " 

Un. The sound between Perth Amboy and Staten 
Island. 

John. "Along the river behind States isle, unto 
the creek Pechciese, namely, from the point called 
Ompoge unto Pechciese, the aforesaid creek." 

Un. Now Elizabethtovvn point creek. 

John. " And so up the said creek to the very head 
of it ; and from thence direct westerly throwe the 
land until it meet with the aforesaid creek and mead- 
ow ground called Mankackewahky." 

Un. I put this memorandum in your hands to 
show the manner in*which these purchases were 
described. The whole of this territory was included 
in a larger grant made by other Indians to another 
person, and the conflicting claims caused a suit in 
chancery. It was found necessary to prohibit by 
law any purchases from the Indians unless sanction- 
ed by the 'proprietors ; that is, by those who held 
the grant from Berkely or Carteret, Finally this 
Ompoge point and the tract above mentioned was 
purchased by the twenty-four proprietors of East 
Jersey; and they laid out a town on the point, which 
was then called Ambo, and in compliment to the 
Earl of Perth, (one of the twenty-four,) they named 
it Perth Ambo, which was soon changed to Perth 
Amboy. 

John. It seems strange to me, sir, that these plain 
republicans should have such a reverence for titled 
people. 

Un. It is very difficult to get rid of old habits. 
This makes it so necessary that no habits but those 
which are good, should be acquired ; and shows the 
value of early education. Europeans were habit- 
uated to paying undue respect to titled nobility; 
and the descendants of the English, and other na- 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 199 

tions, in this country, even to this day are slaves to 
the prejudice. 

John. Not all, sir. 

Un. Certainly not. And even at the time Perth 
Amboy was so called, there were many who knew 
the distinction between a nobleman of nature's form- 
ing and the titulary creation of a tyrant or of chance. 
Amboy was commenced on a plan drawn by Gawin 
Lawrie, a proprietor, and at one time the deputy- 
governor of the province. His scheme was adopted 
by the council, and the city was divided into one 
hundred and fifty lots, each of ten acres; the price 
to those who purchased before the 25th of Decem- 
ber, 1682, was fixed as 15/. sterling, and one year 
after at 20Z. Four acres were reserved for a mar- 
ket-square. It was in 1709 that Queen Ann per- 
mitted New Jersey to issue paper money, and al- 
though it used to be printed with the words "to 
counterfeit is death," many spurious bills were soon 
circulated. They were manufactured in Dublin, 
and agents sent hither with them. But the great 
band of robbers and counterfeiters, were detected 
and dispersed only a short time before the revolu- 
tion, and during the rule of William Franklin. 

John. There must have been many governors be- 
fore him and after Cosby, who was the last you men- 
tioned. 

Un. Yes ; they succeeded each other very rapid- 
ly, Morris, Belcher, Boone, and Josiah Hardy, pass 
before us like the figures that you have seen in the 
magick lantern ; or the blossoms you see year by 
year on the Lombardy poplar trees in our streets, 
fading and falling without leaving a trace of good 
behind them. And so flit away the rulers of the 
earth elsewhere. Josiah Hardy arrived in October, 
1761, and was succeeded by William Franklin, in 
1763. Franklin was the last of the king's govern- 



200 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

ors; and was not removed until the events of the 
revolution displaced him. It was during his ad- 
ministration that the detection of the gang of robbers 
and counterfeiters took place, whose story I am to tell. 

John. Were there any remarkable men in Perth 
Amboy in early days ? 

Un. Several. I will only mention Barclay, the 
apologist for Quakerism, and Doctor Lewis Johns- 
ton, an eminent physician and student of nature. 
He received his education at Leyden, and after re- 
turning home corresponded with Gronovius and 
other learned men of Europe. It deserves likewise 
to be remembered that a magazine was edited at this 
place as early as 1759, by Samuel Neville, an Eng- 
lish gentleman who lived and died there. 

Phil. Uncle, I have been waiting so long for the 
story ! 

John. Hush ! If you have attended to what has 
been said you will understand the story better. 

Un. In those days, that is, sixty or seventy years 
ago, some parts of New Jersey were as wild as the 
western wildernesses now are, with here and there 
a solitary farm-house and patch of pumpkins and 
Indian corn. In such a place lived an Englishman 
of the name of Ford. He was occasionally seen at 
Morristown, Elizabethtown, and even at Amboy and 
Burlington; he appeared as an honest thriving yeo- 
man, but although the owner of a considerable por- 
tion of land, little of it was cultivated, and no one 
knew how Ford could appear so " well off," and do 
so little work. The tract he owned remained a wil- 
derness, and several extensive swamps were situated 
on it, near which neither road nor path approached. 
His only companion was one of his countrymen 
named King, whc was in appearance a hired labour- 
er; but no fruits of his labour appeared. After a time 
Ford was missing altogether. King said he had 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 201 

gone home, on the death of his father, to take pos- 
session of property that he inherited in consequence. 
" Then he will not come back, perhaps?" " Oh yes; 
he prefers this country, and will certainly return." 
He did return ; and now I will tell you what he 
went to England for, and what he and King had 
been doing for a Jong time before. 

Wm. I guess, he had been making counterfeit 
money. 

Vn. No. He came out at first as agent for the 
Dublin counterfeiters; but conceived a plan for ma- 
king the bills on the spot. He had been successful 
in circulating the false bills, and purchased the land 
that he thought would suit his purpose. King was 
his confidential agent; and with the utmost secrecy 
they constructed a den, part cave and part house, in 
the depths of a swamp, to which neither ingress nor 
egress was known or could be effected, except by 
these two villains. Ford then went to London, made 
himself somewhat acquainted with engraving, and 
procured the types, ornamental cuts, portable print- 
ing presses, tools and moulds for coining, and all the 
materials he wanted for his secret abode and labora- 
tory. He returned, and commenced his operations 
with the materials and the skill acquired in London. 
Accomplices were necessary for the distribution of 
his manufacture, and he had the art to seduce many 
of the farmers and respectable yeomen of the sur- 
rounding country into the practice of buying his 
spurious money and circulating it, and that without 
communicating the secret of his workshop or the 
hidden path that led thereto. 

John. Is it possible, sir, that people enjoying rep- 
utation among the colonists could be so base as to 
aid these men? 

Vn. This, the most incredible part of the story, 
is strictly true; men having landed property, re- 



202 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

spectable connexions, wives and children, were se- 
duced by the desire of possessing wealth without 
labour (that desire which ruins so many) to become 
the accomplices of two artful scoundrels in this nefa- 
rious traffick, so injurious to their country, and so 
dangerous as well as debasing to themselves. They 
continued their iniquitous trade for several years, 
and became bolder from success. But in 1773, ano- 
ther gang of confederated counterfeiters and coin- 
ers arrived from New England, and spread them- 
selves in the towns and villages from Woodbridge 
to Middletown. Two of them, pretending to be sil- 
versmiths, set up business in Perth Amboy. The 
quantity of base coin and counterfeit bills excited 
the vigilance of government, and it is believed that 
this new set of confederated rogues led to the detec- 
tion of Ford, King, and Company. In the mean 
time the publick being on their guard, the agents of 
Ford among the people ceased their operations, and 
as business had become dull in the way of passing 
off bills, he conceived the bold design of making up 
all deficiencies by robbing the treasury. 

John. Did he succeed, sir ? 

Vn. Yes. And for a long time was not even sus- 
pected of the robbery. The treasurer of the prov- 
ince, Stephen Skinner, esquire, lived in Perth Am- 
boy, and the treasury was in his house ; the money 
in bills was kept in an iron chest in the office. In 
1768, the office was found to have been entered in 
the night, the iron chest opened, and upwards of 
6000Z. carried off It was not till six years after, 
that the perpetrators were known to be Ford, King, 
Cooper, and three soldiers belonging to a regiment 
quartered in the barracks at the time of burglary. 
In 1774, Cooper being convicted of counterfeiting, 
and under sentence of death, confessed that he as- 
sisted Ford in accomplishing the robbery of the trea- 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 203 

sury, and received 300/. for his share. He said the 
plan was Ford's; that he procured the necessary- 
information as to the situation of the- chest, the man- 
ner in which the treasurer secured the key in his 
chamber, the mode of obtaining access to the chest, 
and if necessary to the treasurer's bed-room, and as- 
signed to each the part he was to act in the business. 
They were to remove the chest if possible ; if not, 
they were to break it open in the office ; if that fail- 
ed, they were, determined to enter the bedchamber, 
murder the inmates and secure the key. 

John. And was Ford hanged for this robbery, sir ? 

Un. No. Long before the confession was made, 
several of the counterfeiters had been apprehended, 
and one who had been intrusted with the secret of 
the hidden path to the den of the coiners and coun- 
terfeiters, betrayed the secret. The officers of jus- 
tice were led to the place, and entered the swamp by 
a passage that only admitted one man at a time, and 
that by creeping for some distance in a posture 
that rendered him helpless. But Ford and King 
were taken by surprise, detected at their dark work, 
and surrounded by the evidences of their guilt. 

John. Then 1 suppose, sir, they were hanged for 
counterfeiting. 

Un. You shall hear. Their detection led to the 
discovery of their accomplices, the agents concerned 
in the circulation of the base coin and forged bills. 

John. What, sir, the farmers and reputable people 
of the country? 

Un. Even so. And you may judge of the con- 
sternation of the publick, and the wretchedness of the 
wives, the parents, and other relatives, of these de- 
luded men, when five or six highly respectable free- 
holders, (among them a physician, and a justice of 
the peace,) were apprehended, imprisoned, tried, and 
convicted of the crime of passing false money, design- 



204 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

edly and in concert with the vilest rogues. During 
their trials the country was in a state of agitation be- 
yond description. The prison and the court of justice 
were thronged with their friends and their wretched 
fathers, mothers, wives, and children. Some of these 
unhappy men had seen their errour and ceased from 
the practice long before. One of them was so re- 
spected by the congregation to which he belonged 
that they had elected him a deacon ; and upon his 
being accused and imprisoned, the clergyman of 
the parish publickly prayed " that he might be de- 
livered from false accusers ;" and a report having 
been spread that the accused was released, thanks 
were returned in the church. But they soon knew 
that he had confessed his guilt. These unhappy 
criminals were all sentenced to be executed. Think 
of six fathers of families, hitherto respected, being 
doomed as felons to the gallows. 

John. Dreadful ! 

Un. In the mean time Ford and King, the arch 
villains, being both confined in Morristown prison, 
contrived, by the aid of one of their accomplices who 
was still at liberty, to break jail and escape ; and 
notwithstanding proclamations of reward and the 
most active pursuit, they were never taken ; while 
Richardson, the fellow who assisted them, was ap- 
prehended, convicted, and hanged. Another of the 
coiners suffered death; but the miserable misled 
men who had been seduced to be accomplices, by 
aiding in the circulating of the forged bills, were 
first respited, and finally pardoned. 

Wm. O, I am glad of it ! I think they would 
never do so again. 

Un. It is probable that they truly repented. Sure- 
ly they suffered even more than the mere agony of 
death. And it is more than probable that the two 
ringleaders in mischief, only fled from justice, at 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 205 

this time, to experience misery, and a violent end, 
after a life of shame, and unceasing fear of retribu- 
tive justice. To-morrow, when we meet I will bring 
our story down to the famous year, 1775. 



CHAPTER XVIII. 

John. You have told us, sir, something of the in- 
troduction of printing into our country, but there is 
another art of which you say nothing. 

Un. What do you mean ? 

John. Painting. 

Wm. We all know that America has produced a 
great many fine painters. 

John. What artist had we first, sir ? 

Un. In point of time, a man little known. Mr. 
John Watson, a Scotch gentleman, who settled at 
Perth Amboy. He came to this country as early as 
1715. In Dunlap's History of the Arts of Design 
in America, you will find all that is known of the 
painters who first visited this country ; but as con- 
nected with our subject, I will mention some of them, 
and say a few words of the earliest native painters. 
In 1728, a great and good man, Dean Berkeley, 
came to America with the benevolent view of pro- 
moting literature, arts, and sciences: and knowing 
the happy influence of the fine arts upon society, he 
brought with him Mr. John Smybert, an artist of 
considerable knowledge and skill. He lived and 
died in Boston. Other European painters followed; 
but the first American painter in point of time and 
excellence is Benjamin West. 
18 



206 HISTORY OF NEW YORK, 

Wm. He painted the Death of Wolfe. I have 
seen it. 

Un. You have seen the print engraved from it. 

John. And you took me to see his great pic- 
ture of Christ Rejected. Did he ever paint in New 
York? 

Un. Yes. He was born in Chester county, Penn- 
sylvania. His early attempts attracted attention and 
encouragement, and almost without teaching he be- 
came a painter. As early as 1759 he visited New 
York and painted several portraits : being the first 
native American artist who exercised his pencil in 
our city. The second was John Singleton Copley. 
He painted many excellent portraits in New York 
in the year 1773. 

John. Better than West's, sir ? 

Un. Much better. At the time he painted in New 
York he had practised the art ten or more years 
with great success and industry, in Boston. West, 
when he was here, was a youth, and a tyro; Copley 
a well-studied painter of mature age. Both these 
great artists found employment and a home in Eng- 
land, and both died there. 

John. Pennsylvania produced West, and Massa- 
chusetts gave us Copley; did no one distinguished 
artist spring up in our city? 

Un. None in early times. Rhode Island, too, can 
boast of her Gilbert Stuart of the days before the rev- 
olution: but New York was without a native paint- 
er for many years after. The beautiful picture of the 
Studious Boy, which I have given you, with a little 
book intended for your instruction, proves that, though 
late, our state is not last in the race. William Sid- 
ney Mount, die painter of that truly fine picture, is 
yet a young man, and has produced compositions of 
still more masterly achievement since painting the 
Studious Boy. The engraving, which is the front 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 207 

ispiece of the little book I gave you, is a master- 
piece in that branch of art, by j\"r I. A. Adams, 
whose talents do honour to the country and of whom 
we boast as a native. In the work on Artists above- 
mentioned, you will find more concerning Mr. Wil- 
liam Sidney Mount. I will only mention that he 
was born at Satauket on Long Island, in the year 
1807, and until the age oi seventeen was employed, 
to use his own words, "as a farmer's boy." You 
know that the word farmer in our country has a dif- 
ferent signification from that it bears in England. 
An American farmer, is the cultivator of his own 
soil, a free and independent yeoman. Such was the 
father of Mr. Mount. I shall take another opportuni- 
ty to speak to you of the progress of the fine arts in 
our country; now I will only say that New York 
city can boast of another native artist of the first or- 
der in Mr. Robert W. Weir ; and the state of two, no 
less in merit, Mr. Vanderlyn, and Mr. Inman. After 
our historic lesson to-day, we w T ill w r alk to the hon- 
ourable Gillian C. Verplanck's, and ask permission 
to look at Mr. Weir's fine painting of the Landing 
of Henry Hudson. I likewise show you this wood 
engraving by Mr. Mason, from a copy of Mr. Wier's 
picture, made by Mr. Brown, an artist recently ar- 
rived in our city. Though New York cannot 
boast of her painters or engravers in the early pe- 
riod ot her existence, she can now vie with any 
city of America. And, when speaking of our native 
artists, we must not forget Doctor Anderson, who, 
although educated as a physician, preferred the pro- 
fession of an engraver, and taught himself the art 
of embossing on wood, thereby becoming the first, 
in point of time, who practised w r ood-engraving in 
America. t In excellent artists — painters, architects, 
and engravers, natives of New York, or from the 
neighbouring states, and from Europe — our city now 



208 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

abounds ; but at the period of which our story treats, 
she was " poor indeed." Now we will return to the 
history of our city. And I must introduce you more 
particularly to Mr. James Rivington, an English 
gentleman who had for some years been a booksel- 
ler in New York, and who, as I told you, com- 
menced publishing a weekly gazette, in the year 
1773. 

John. Was that the only newspaper in the city, 
sir? 

Tin. O, by no means. Through all the prece- 
ding controversies, papers had been published by 
Weyman, Parker, Loudon, Holt, Gaine, and oc- 
casionally by others; but at this period the three 
conspicuous editors were Holt, Rivington, and Gaine. 
The first a decided whig, the second a violent tory, 
and the third a time-server. By a whig, at this 
time, was understood an American " Son of Liber- 
ty," and by a tory an advocate of English preten- 
sions. Rivington' s paper was supported by men of 
talents; and his own paragraphs, with the essays of 
Cooper, Inglis, and others I have mentioned, gave it 
great currency with his party, and rendered him ex- 
ceedingly obnoxious to the resentment of the Amer- 
ican people generally. A riotous proceeding hap- 
pened in March, 1775, of which Mr. Rivington pub- 
lished this account, which I have transcribed from 
his paper. Read it. 

John, "Messrs. Cunningham and Hill coming 
from the North river stopped, near the liberty pole, 
to see a boxing match, when Cunningham was 
struck by one Smith Richards, James Vandyk, and 
several others, called tory, and used in the most cruel 
manner by a mob of above two hundred men. Hill 
came to the assistance of Cunningham, and was 
beat and abused most barbarously, though neither 
of them gave the least offence, except being on the 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 209 

king's side of the question this morning." What 
does that mean, sir? 

JJii. I can only suppose that there had been some 
popular resolutions passed that day, and that Cun- 
ningham and Hill had opposed them. Read on. 
Cunningham was the tory bully. 

John. " The leaders of the mob brought Cun- 
ningham to the liberty pole, and told him to go down 
on his knees and damn his popish King George, and 
they would set him free ; but on the contrary he 
exclaimed "God bless King George !" They then 
tore the clothes off his back, and robbed him of his 
watch. Hill was requested to damn the king, and 
refusing, was served in the same manner. They 
were rescued by some peace officers and taken to 
jail for safety." 

Win. Do you believe this story, sir 1 

Un. Not as here related. But at this time the 
feelings of the two parties were extremely hostile. 
The people of New York felt the injuries and in- 
sults inflicted on the country generally, and partic- 
ularly on their brethren of Boston, where already 
an army of king's troops had been collected to over- 
awe that spirit which Massachusetts displayed. I 
presume that on this day the people of New York 
had been assembled in "the fields" near the liberty 
pole, and had been irritated by the opposition of the 
tories. This outrage took place afterward, and un- 
fortunately at such assemblies many add the fuel of 
strong liquor to the fire of patriotism. Cunning- 
ham and Hill, as it appears, were known to be to- 
ries ; they returned to the place of meeting, and, it 
cannot be doubted, gave offence by some insult to 
the people, or to the emblem of liberty, which had 
become so dear to them. This does not justify the 
personal violence used; but accounts for it. I should 
not dwell on this riotous incident so long, but that I 
18* 



210 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

believe it immediately connected with events of 
greater consequence, and that it added to the suffer- 
ings of many Americans, who never heard of it. 
Americans, who, in the course of the war, when 
captured by the British, were committed to the 
charge of this bully and blackguard ; who, as a re- 
ward for his sufferings when the champion of royal- 
ty, was appointed provost marshal, and avenged his 
disgrace and bruises on the innocent and powerless, 
Cunningham had this office conferred on him by the 
English commander-in-chief. As you have had 
Rivington's account of this affray, I will give you 
another. In an essay respecting the "old jail," or 
"provost," published in the New York Mirror, our 
fellow-citizen Mr. John Pintard gives the following 
account of this affair. Read it. 

John. " This modern Bastile was memorable dur- 
ing the occupation of the city by the British forces 
from 1776 to 1783, as the provost, under the super- 
intendence of the noted Captain Cunningham, pro- 
vost marshal, and his deputy, Sergeant Keefe. The 
former lived in New York previous to 1776, and 
during the conflicts between the whigs and tories, 
the ■ liberty boys' and the ' loyalists,' was the bul- 
ly and champion of the latter in the many battles 
fought in 'the fields,' now the park ; in the front 
of which and near the present Bridewell, the whigs 
set up their liberty poles, which were successively 
demolished by the tories, until one was erected so 
completely cased with iron bars and hoops as to set 
all attacks at defiance : and which remained, it is 
believed, until the British took possession of the 
city on the 15th of October, ('September') 1776. 
On one occasion Cunningham, a stout, double-fisted 
Irishman, after a bloody scuffle, was compelled by 
the ' liberty boys' to kneel down and kiss the lib- 
erty pole ; an indignity that rankled in his heart, 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 211 

and was afterward avenged with unrelenting sever- 
ity on the American prisoners ; when, as a reward 
for his loyalty, he was dignified with the post of 
provost marshal. A more cruel tyrant could not be 
found, except in his deputy, Sergeant Keefe, who was 
one of the most cold-blooded monsters that ever ex- 
isted." I suppose, sir, this may be depended upon. 

Tin. Mr. Pintard, in his youth, had an opportu- 
nity of personally knowing these men, and in his 
old age he wrote and published this character of 
them. 

John. What do you mean by provost marshal 1 

XJn. The jail was called "the provost," and the 
keeper was " Provost Cunningham." His cruelties 
to American prisoners are proverbial, and he was so 
conscious of the enmity his conduct had produced, 
that he made an application to Sir Henry Clinton, and 
was commissioned as a captain of his majesty's ar- 
my, to protect him, in case he should be kidnapped or 
otherwise made prisoner by the Americans. I be- 
lieve that the office of provost marshal and com- 
mission of captain, were rewards for his adherence 
to the king of his native country. I shall again 
mention this man and his treatment of American 
prisoners. 

John. I have heard of this man, sir. 

Wm. But, Uncle, had not the war begun in Boston? 

Un. Not quite. I must refer you to books for 
the transactions there, only mentioning those which 
are necessary to be known, as accounting for what 
took place in New York. What was called the 
Boston Massacre, (an unhappy affair in which the 
soldiers fired on, and killed, some of the inhab- 
itants,) was annually brought to mind by an oration; 
and about this time, Mr. Rivington endeavoured to 
turn the people and the orator, the celebrated Doc- 
tor Warren, into ridicule. The meeting took place 



21~ HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

in the " Old South" on the 5th of March, and the 
writer represents the Adamses, Hancock, Cooper, 
and others waiting in the church for Warren; who 
arrives at " last in a single horse chaise at the apoth- 
ecary's opposite the meeting, and entering the shop, 
is followed by a servant with a bundle in which 
were the Ciceronian Toga, &c." Having robed 
himself at the apothecary's, he is described by Riv- 
ington as proceeding "across the street" to the Old 
South, where he is received, conducted to the pulpit, 
and announced "by one of the fraternity," as the 
orator of the day. He goes on to represent him as 
" applauded by the mob, but groaned at by people 
of understanding." Adams is represented as getting 
up and proposing " the nomination of another, to 
speak next year, on the Bloody Massacre, when 
some officers cried ' Fy ! Fy!' whiah being mista- 
ken for a cry of 'fire!' put the whole mob to rout." 
But it is added, " The 43d regiment, returning ac- 
cidentally from exercise with drums beating, threw 
the whole body into the utmost consternation," This 
and similar passages procured to Mr. Rivington a 
singular honour, at this time, and the destruction of 
his types, a year after. 

John. Procured him honour, did you say, sir? 

Un. Yes. For on the 8th of March, 1775, in 
committee chamber, it was ordered " that Philip Liv- 
ingston and John Jay be a committee to wait on Mr. 
James Rivington, and request of him to acquaint this 
committee by whose information or by what author- 
ity he published the following paragraph in his ga- 
zette: 'Last Mondny the committee of observation 
met ; it was proposed that they should nominate del- 
egates to the continental congress for the approba- 
tion of the city and county, but being opposed, the 
final determination of the committee was postponed 
until their next meeting.' The same paragraph 



HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 218 

being entirely and wholly false and groundless. 
And also to inform Mr. Rivington that in printing 
the notice of the committee of the 27th of Febru- 
ary, 1775, respecting the non-consumption of India 
tea being then soon to take place, it was inserted, non- 
importation, in capitals, instead of non-consumption, 
and desire him to correct the mistake in his next 
paper." Messrs. Livingston and Jay reported that 
Rivington said, in answer, that he printed from com- 
mon report ; that he would be more careful in fu- 
ture, and that he had corrected the last mistake. 
The committee of observation resolved, that common 
report was not sufficient authority for misrepre- 
senting them ; that their sittings were open, and the 
truth forthcoming. Rivington was bold in the sup- 
port of the tories, and he replied — that the commit- 
tee assumed legislative authority; and signed his 
name to the reply, with the addition, " a persecuted 
printer." 

John. Was the general assembly of New York 
in session, sir 1 

JJn. Yes. And I am sorry to say that the ma- 
jority, at this time, was wavering, tame, and unpa- 
triotick. In fact they did not respond to the call of 
the colonies or of the people they represented. 
When the brave Colonel Woodhull of Long Island, 
whose name ought ever to be held in honour by us 
of New York, moved that "the thanks of the house 
be given to the representatives of the province for 
their services in the continental congress the previ- 
ous September," it was denied ; the house being di- 
vided fifteen to nine. 

John. I shall not forget the name of the delegates 
from our city, Livingston, Jay, and Duane. Who 
was it, sir, that would not thank the men who had 
done New York honour? 

Un. We will forget their names. But here is a 



214 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

memorandum of the minority. Read it; and re- 
member their names with gratitude. 

John. " George Clinton, Col. Woodhull, Mr. 
Thomas, Mr. Boerum, Capt. Seaman, of Long 
Island, Col. Ten Broeck, Mr. De Witt, Col. Philip 
Schuyler, and Col. Philip Livingston. This mi- 
nority moved for thanks to the merchants and inhab- 
itants of New York for their firm and faithful con- 
duct in adhering to the association recommended by 
the congress of 1774; and that the sense of the 
house be taken on appointing delegates to the next 
continental congress ; but both these motions were 
overruled by the timid, or tory majority. Colonel 
Schuyler, however, by his eloquence, carried reso- 
lutions, declaring a number of the acts of parlia- 
ment to be grievances, and particularly those which 
were aimed to punish and oppress the province of 
Massachusetts. In manuscript notes before me, 
communicated by Chancellor Kent, he says, 'the 
leading patriots of the day were Col. Schuyler. 
Col. Woodhull, and Mr. Clinton.' But the tory 
(or timid) majority carried several resolutions, de- 
claring that the people of the colony owe obedience 
to the king of Great Britain ; that they owe obedi- 
ence to all acts of parliament calculated for the gen- 
eral weal of the empire; but asserting that they 
were entitled to the same rights as the other sub- 
jects of Great Britain, and could only be taxed by 
their representatives. On the 24th March, 1775, 
on debating the form of an address to the king, Col. 
Schuyler, Col. Woodhull, and Mr. De Witt, moved 
sundry amendments, but were overruled by the ma- 
jority. Chancellor Kent, in the manuscript above 
alluded to, says, ' The addresses to the King, the 
House of Lords, and the House of Commons, by the 
general assembly, passed March 25, 1775, were 
tame, ridiculous, and very loyal ; but they asserted 



HiSTORY OF NEW YORK. 215 

the rights and stated the grievances contained in the 
above resolutions.' That is, the resolutions previ- 
ously carried. He adds, ' The assembly adjourned 
on the 3d of April, and I believe never met again. 5 " 

Phil. Brother, I hope you are done reading. 

Un. Ah, my little boy, you want to hear of the 
conflicts which followed this war of words. I must 
now mention some of the events which took place 
at a distance from New York, that we may under- 
stand our story the better. 

John. But, sir, you say that the assembly never 
met again. 

Un. Never as dependant upon a foreign nation. 
But as the representatives of a free and sovereign 
state, with the patriot George Clinton as its gov- 
ernor j and Philip Schuyler a leader of its army, 
I am sorry to add, not until the brave Colonel 
Woodhull had been murdered, when a prisoner, by 
the soldiers of an invading army. Shortly after the 
dissolution of the provincial assembly of New York, 
on the 19th of April, hostilities commenced, and the 
British troops were driven by the despised provin- 
cials from Concord and Lexington into the town of 
Boston, where their assembled forces were cooped 
up; and on the 17th of June was fought the battle 
of Bunker's hill, ever famous in the annals of 
America. 

Win. Do, sir, tell us all about that I 

Un. The blood shed at Lexington was the signal 
for thousands to seize their muskets, and the leading 
spirits, as if by concert, flew to those points at which 
they could annoy the enemy or best protect the coun- 
try. An army was raised in New Hampshire and 
Massachusetts to invest Boston. Connecticut was 
not backward in sending her sons to the same point. 
And several bold fellows pushed towards Lake Cham- 



216 HISTORY OF NEW YORK. 

plain, knowing the importance of the posts on that 
quarter. 

Wm. But, Uncle, we have come to the time when 
the brave General Warren commanded, fought, con- 
quered, and died, at Bunker's hill. 

Un. Dr. Warren, a distinguished patriot, fought 
and died at that place; he had been appointed a gen- 
eral the day before, but was not commissioned, had 
no command, and acted as a private volunteer under 
the veteran Colonel Prescott, who was the provin- 
cial commander on that glorious day. The suppo- 
sition that Dr. Warren (a great man and true pa- 
triot) was the leader in this first trial of the supposed 
invincibility of English regular soldiers when op- 
posed to provincials, is not the only misapprehen- 
sion which has been incorporated with the story 
of the battle of Bunker hill. But before we go 
into the details of that transaction, so important in its 
effects upon the future events of the war then so se- 
riously commenced, let us take our usual walk, and 
reflect upon the moral duty which we owe our fel- 
low-men. Let us remember that while we strive 
not to forget any of the occurrences of past times, it 
is our duty, and a source of happiness to ourselves, 
sincerely to forgive the authors of the injuries which 
were inflicted upon our country in a struggle which 
resulted in the acknowledged right of self-govern- 
ment. 

END OF VOLUME ONE. 



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